Marco Bezzecchi joins Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez for being the only riders to win five Grand Prix’s in a row in the modern era

It was hot sunny day at the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix. Fabio Di Giannantonio started from pole position looking to prove what he could have done in the Tissot Sprint, Pedro Acosta started second and hoped to rectify his Sprint result after having low tyre pressurs. Francesco Bagnaia rounded out the front row with Marco Bezzecchi heading the second row after receiving a two-place grid penalty for impeding Marc Marquez in qualifying. Marc Marquez started in sixth and had a Long Lap Penalty to serve after taking out Di Giannantonio in the Sprint. Sprint winner and championship leader Jorge Martin started in seventh.

The lights went out and Acosta took the holeshot ahead of Bezzecch and Martin. Acosta went wide at turn 11 and Bezzecchi made a pass but the pair made contact down the back straight.

Di Giannantonio made an overtake on Marc Marquez into turn 19 at the end of lap one to move into fourth. Marquez gave it back at turn one but Di Giannantonio was able to hold onto fourth at turn two.

Bagnaia then passed Marquez, the Spaniard tried to get the position back at turn 11 but ran wide and fell behind Joan Mir in seventh. Johann Zarco crashed out in sector two.

Bezzecchi lead at the end of lap three which meant he broke Jorge Lorenzo’s record for most consecutive Grand Prix laps lead in MotoGP history.

Di Giannantonio was one second behind Martin and was the fastest rider on track. Marc Marquez took his long lap penalty on lap four and rejoined in 11th position, six seconds behind Bezzecchi.

Martin made a lunge on Acosta at turn one but went wide and The Shark was able to cutback and retake second place.

Mir was given a long lap penalty for cutting turn four and not losing one second. But the 2020 World Champion was unable to complete his long lap penalty because he crashed out at turn eight.

Martin had a big moment on the front into turn one on lap seven but was able to stay on but had fallen into the clutches of Di Giannantonio.

Marc Marquez inherited ninth position after Raul Fernandez ran wide at turn 11. Bezzecchi was building a gap over Acosta lap-by-lap.

Bagnaia had caught Martin and Di Giannantonio as Alex Marquez in sixth place was the fastest rider on track.

Ai Ogura overtook Alex Marquez for sixth place at turn 11 and was the fastest rider on track, setting a new race lap record.

On lap 11 Ogura pulled a block pass on Bagnaia to move inside the top five and started to close in on Di Giannantonio.

On lap 13 Ogura squeezed his way through on Di Giannantonio at turn 12 to move into fourth place, Marc Marquez was the fastest rider on track closing in on the top eight.

Acosta went wide at turn one and allowed Martin into second position, Bezzecchi now had a lead of 1.7 seconds and Ogura was closing in.

Bagnaia was beginning to struggle riding in the 2:03s. Enea Bastianini overtook Alex Marquez at turn one for seventh and then his brother Marc Marquez made the pass at turn seven. Bastianini ran wide at turn 11 and Marc Marquez was able to overtake the Tech3 KTM rider at turn 12.

Ogura was forced to retire with a problem on lap 15, such a shame for the Japanese rider who could have taken his first MotoGP podium.

Pecco was really struggling with tyre wear issues at the tail end of the race but was doing his best to hold off his teammate Marc Marquez.

Bastianini saw Marquez trying to setup a pass and took the opportunity to overtake Marquez himself at turn 19.

Marquez retaliated at turn seven and had a slide on exit but just held onto position. Bastianini retook the position at turn 12 but Marquez took it back at turn 13.

Marc Marquez overtook his teammate Bagnaia at turn seven and Bastianini immediately followed at turn eight.

Martin had got closed the gap to Bezzecchi to under a second with two laps remaining. Bagnaia was then overtaken by Alex Marquez and then by Fernandez.

Toprak Razgatlioglu had past Fabio Quartararo to be the top Yamaha, a great ride by the reigning World Superbike champion.

Bezzecchi crossed the line to win his fifth Grand Prix in a row, his third of the season and retakes the championship lead from his teammate Martin who finished in second with Acosta rounding out the podium. Di Giannantonio finished in fourth with Marc Marquez holding off Bastianini for fifth, Alex Marquez in seventh, Fernandez in eighth and Luca Marini overtook Bagnaia on the final lap for ninth.

Featured Image: Marco Bezzecchi