Honda secures MotoGP Constructor Title in Malaysia

Repsol Honda wraps up 2017 Constructors Crown
Repsol Honda wraps up 2017 Constructors Crown

In typical Malaysian fashion, the sun that had shone until half an hour before the start of the MotoGP race was replaced by a sudden heavy thunderstorm that did not last long but left the track completely soaked.

Marc Marquez, on a rain front Michelin tire and a medium rear, got away brilliantly from the third row and completed the first lap in third place. He was passed by Andrea Dovizioso on the fifth lap, and when he realized that he could not match the pace of the three frontrunners, he settled for fourth place which, combined with the achievements of Dani Pedrosa and Cal Crutchlow this season, earned Honda the 2017 MotoGP Constructor title.

It was the manufacturer’s 23rd such crown in history, and the sixth out of the last seven seasons.

With Dovizioso winning the race in front of Jorge Lorenzo and Johan Zarco, Marquez will arrive at the season finale in Valencia leading the standings by 21 points over the Italian.

Pedrosa, who had been the fastest rider in Saturday’s dry conditions, wasn’t the happiest man when the rain started to fall, but a completely different setup prepared by his team, and the decision to use a soft rear tire, allowed him to keep a decent pace and take fifth place, just behind his teammate.

Rider Standings

Pos. Rider Num Nation Points Team Constructor
1 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA 282 Repsol Honda Team Honda
2 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA 261 Ducati Team Ducati
3 VINALES Maverick 25 SPA 226 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha
4 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA 197 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha
5 PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA 185 Repsol Honda Team Honda
6 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA 154 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha
7 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA 137 Ducati Team Ducati
8 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA 121 Octo Pramac Racing Ducati
9 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR 104 LCR Honda Honda
10 FOLGER Jonas 94 GER 84 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha
11 BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA 75 Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati
12 MILLER Jack 43 AUS 73 EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda
13 REDDING Scott 45 GBR 64 Octo Pramac Racing Ducati
14 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA 62 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia
15 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA 60 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki
16 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA 55 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM
17 RINS Alex 42 SPA 46 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki
18 BAZ Loris 76 FRA 45 Reale Avintia Racing Ducati
19 ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE 30 Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati
20 RABAT Tito 53 SPA 29 EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda
21 BARBERA Hector 8 SPA 27 Reale Avintia Racing Ducati
22 SMITH Bradley 38 GBR 24 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM
23 PIRRO Michele 51 ITA 18 Ducati Test Team Ducati
24 KALLIO Mika 36 FIN 11 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM
25 LOWES Sam 22 GBR 5 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia
26 NAKASUGA Katsuyuki 21 JPN 4 Yamalube Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha
27 GUINTOLI Sylvain 50 FRA 1 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki

Team Standings

Pos. Team Points
1 Repsol Honda Team 467
2 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 423
3 Ducati Team 398
4 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 238
5 Octo Pramac Racing 185
6 Team Suzuki Ecstar 107
7 Pull&Bear Aspar Team 105
8 LCR Honda 104
9 EG 0,0 Marc VDS 102
10 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 90
11 Reale Avintia Racing 72
12 Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 67

Constructor Standings

Pos. Team Points
1 Honda 332
2 Ducati 303
3 Yamaha 301
4 Suzuki 87
5 Aprilia 64
6 KTM 64