Madrid, June 6 (IANS) Valentino Rossi took a slice of revenge for his defeat to Jorge Lorenzo in last season's Moto GP World Championship when he won the GP de Catalunya at the Barcelona Montmelo racetrack.
Rossi began the race fifth on the grid on Sunday but had taken the lead by the seventh lap and after Lorenzo was taken out of the race by Andrea Iannone in the 17th lap, the battle for victory came down to a duel between him and Marquez, Xinhua news agency reported.
Rossi had accused Marc Marquez and Lorenzo of working together in Sepang to deny him last season's title and although the waters have calmed since then, victory on what is virtually the Spanish duo's home circuit must have tasted especially sweet for the Italian.
Marquez may have been disappointed to finish second, but that may be tempered by the fact he has now moved into the lead in the overall riders' championship, 10 points ahead of Lorenzo, who failed to score, with Rossi in third.
Following their exciting battle for the race, Rossi and Marquez shook hands warmly, raising hopes that their quarrel may now be in the past.
--IANS
pgh/
