Quartararo wins in Spain to regain MotoGP points lead

"It was not easy." Quartararo started second but took the lead from pole-sitter Franco Morbidelli nine laps into the race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Morbidelli wound up in fourth place. The victory gave Quartararo an eight-point lead over Mir in the riders' standings.

Fabio Quartararo won the Catalonia Grand Prix on Sunday to retake the points lead in the MotoGP championship. It was the third victory of the season for Quartararo, who hadn't been on a podium since his consecutive victories in Spain to start the year.

"I suffered a lot the last month, never going back on the podium since Jerez (de la Frontera)," the 21-year-old Frenchman said. "It was not easy." Quartararo started second but took the lead from pole-sitter Franco Morbidelli nine laps into the race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Spaniard Joan Mir finished second and compatriot Alex Rins was third. Morbidelli wound up in fourth place.

The victory gave Quartararo an eight-point lead over Mir in the riders' standings. Maverick Viñales was third after a ninth-place finish in Catalonia. Andrea Dovizioso, who entered the weekend with the points lead, dropped to fourth place after crashing on the first lap. He started at the back of the grid and was taken out when Johann Zarco lost control of his motorcycle in front of him. Valentino Rossi, looking for his 200th podium, had to retire after falling while running in second place.

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