Aussie Jack Miller brings the win home

Jack Miller took a sensational win in the wet at Assen in the re-started 12-lap race ahead of Marc Marquez and Scott Redding.

Riders looked set to consider a change to intermediate or dry tyres but then the rain returned with a vengeance. Dovizioso was able to catch up to Rossi once again. The rain only got heavier and allowed Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Yakhnich) to join the battle for victory, Yonny Hernandez’s fall turning their battle into one for victory. But then with 12 laps to go the rain was ruled to be too severe and the red flag was brought out due to the weather conditions.

_{Valentino Rossi Crashes out of the restarted 12 lap race whilst in the lead at the Dutch GP}

Known for his ability in the wet, Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) made steady progress off the line and soon found himself in second behind Marquez. After an injury hit start to the season Miller seized his chance and took the lead of the race at the final chicane on lap four. Marquez tried to close down the Australian but Miller kept his cool. Miller’s victory is the first MotoGP™ win by an Australian since Casey Stoner’s final victory in Phillip Island in 2012. He also becomes the first rider on a non-factory bike to win a race since Toni Elias won the infamous Portuguese GP in 2006.

Marquez was aggressive off the line, leading into the entry of Turn 1 but dropping back as he ran wide and sliding to third. But the Spaniard soon found himself in first as Dovizioso and Rossi fell. He had an important decision to make when Miller went past him, risk it for victory or settle for 20 points with his main rivals having disastrous weekends? Championship ambition won out and Marquez settled for second place, extending his championship lead over both Lorenzo and Rossi by a significant margin.

The battle for third was one of the closest on track, Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Redding finding themselves in podium contention due to the falls ahead. Espargaro could smell his first podium but Redding had a point to prove. Redding muscled his way past his former Moto2™ rival to return to the podium for the first time since Misano in 2015.

Iannone managed to take fifth place ahead of Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) and Eugene Laverty (Aspar MotoGP). Stefan Bradl (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Jorge Lorenzo completed the top ten. Lorenzo had a terrible time in both races, the 2015 MotoGP™ World Championship unable to find any speed in the wet. He picked up six more points than his teammate, but there’s a lot of work to do still in the championship.

Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and Bradley Smith all finished the race, everyone who remained upright scoring points.

The wet gave Yonny Hernandez (Aspar Team MotoGP) the perfect chance to show his skill; with nothing to lose the Colombian took the lead of the race on the third lap. He’d extend his lead out the front until he fell on lap 12; his dreams of a miraculous first win gone as he retired before the red flag.

Dani Pedrosa’s weekend went from bad to worse as he crashed at Turn 9 on lap one of the restart. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) followed soon after at Turn 12.

What had been a dream Sunday for Petrucci ended in disaster as the Italian’s Ducati died on the second lap, his hopes of a Silverstone repeat over.

Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) also fell from the race, conditions proving trickier than before.

Michele Pirro (Avintia Racing), Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) all suffered falls. Several were able to remount, solid points on offer due to all the crashes.

By MotoGP