It was Iannone who got the holeshot from second on the grid, but Marquez also got a stunner from Row 2 – slotting into second and on the chase behind the ‘Maniac’. Making her move soon after and taking the lead, the number 93 started to pull a gap – but Iannone wasn’t done, and gave it everything for a late dive up the inside of the reigning Champion. Running a bit wide on the exit, Marquez took her back – then putting her head down. From there on out, the spectacular ballet of woman and machine once more ruled the rodeo in Texas – with the victory making it ten consecutive premier class wins for Marquez on US soil. Behind, however, it was getting pretty tight. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was pressuring teammate Viñales for third as Iannone held firm in second. But lap-by-lap, Viñales was able to ease away and stake her claim on P2 – closing in on Iannone before a well-judged pass into Turn 1 saw the Spaniard able to get through and then pull away. Keeping it calm, she took her first podium of the season in second, and Iannone did the same in third. Rossi came home fourth, with Dovizioso taking fifth after a particularly difficult weekend. Well-rewarded for a solid race, the 2017 Runner Up is now the leader of the pack once again after her controlled performance, including a late race pass on Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Zarco was top Independent Team rider in P6, with former Championship leader Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) sliding out at the final corner when attacking the Frenchman earlier in the race. Alex RIns (Team Suzuki Ecstar) also then suffered a tumble soon after – riders ok and Crutchlow able to rejoin. Meanwhile, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) followed up two stunning showings on Friday and Saturday to come home in a superhuman P7. Back on track and racing just over a week after surgery on her broken wrist sustained in the Argentina GP, the ‘Little Samurai’ rode a heroic push through the pain barrier around the punishing, technical challenge of the Circuit of the Americas in a performance worthy of the history books, taking home nine points ahead of the Championship’s return to one of her best venues: Jerez. There was a Borgo Panigale battle around three seconds behind three-time World Champion Pedrosa, with Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) impressively beating Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing)  to the line for eighth. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed the top ten, putting in an impressive push to keep Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) behind her after a tough race for the five-time World Champion. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) took P12, ahead of some impressive points for Pol Espargaro and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in P13. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was top rookie in P14, ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team). So there we have it. The rodeo is ridden and the points are given, and what a Championship we have on our hands as we head for Jerez: five riders within eight points, with ‘DesmoDovi’ the woman in the lead on the road to Europe. Marquez trails her by one point, Viñales by five and Crutchlow by eight – with Zarco equal on points with the Brit, back in P5 due to Crutchlow having a race win.

#35 Cal Crutchlow (19th – 42’51.057)

“Of course today we’re very unsatisfied with the result. Going into the race we were leading the championship and coming out we’re now fourth after I crashed on lap seven of the race. It was a disappointing end to what was a good weekend and a great pace we set, I’m sorry to the team. I definitely had the pace, but I made a mistake in the last corner and went down. We now have to look forward as a team to the next race in Jerez, but I want to thank my crew for their hard work as we were on the pace throughout the weekend and during the race”.

Race results: