Paris Soir - Oliveira wins rain-affected Indonesian MotoGP

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Oliveira wins rain-affected Indonesian MotoGP

SPORTS 20.03.2022

Oliveira wins rain-affected Indonesian MotoGP

An emotional Miguel Oliveira held his nerve to win a rain-affected Indonesian MotoGP on Sunday and then promised to give the trophy to his daughter.

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The Portuguese KTM rider finished 2.205 sec ahead of current world champion Fabio Quartararo, of France, who had started from pole position on his Yamaha.

Another Frenchman, Johann Zarco, was a further 3.158sec adrift for the Pramac Racing team after the race was reduced to 20 laps from the originally scheduled 27 because of safety concerns.

The start at the Mandalika International Street Circuit was delayed for 75 minutes by heavy rain as the sport returned to Indonesia for the first time since 1997.

When it did eventually begin, Quartararo bolted into the first corner comfortably ahead but by the end of the first lap had been reeled in by Oliveira and Australia's Jack Miller on a Ducati.

Oliveira spent a couple of laps behind the Australian before realising he had the pace to stretch away as the sodden track began to dry.

"When I overtook him, I just tried to focus for the next five laps," said Oliveira, who won his fifth grand prix. "Then I built the gap and I was managing it the whole race but it was for sure not easy."

"It's really emotional," said Oliveira. "I promised my daughter I would get a trophy from Indonesia, so this one is for you baby."

Six-time world champion Marc Marquez was earlier ruled out with concussion after a horror morning warm-up crash that catapulted him into the air on turn seven.

The Spaniard's Honda cartwheeled end-over-end as it disintegrated with Marquez appearing to land heavily on his left arm and hitting his helmet on the ground at around 180kph (112mph).

A shaken Marquez got to his feet and gingerly walked away before being taken to a nearby hospital for medical checks where he was declared unfit to race.

Marquez had already suffered a bruising weekend, having two crashes during qualifying on Saturday.

Organisers then announced the MotoGP race would be reduced from 27 laps to 20 over tyre safety fears caused by the extreme heat at the circuit.

MotoGP was returning to Indonesia for the first time since 1997 at a new venue on the resort island of Lombok.

B.Bernard--PS

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