The Italians and Spaniards continue to dominate Moto GP.

This year’s MotoGP title chase is developing into a four-way scrap, despite the fact that Spain’s defending champion Marc Marquez continues to struggle and that Italian Jorge Lorenzo has just roared to his second consecutive win.

Italy’s MotoGP points leader Valentino Rossi, who finished runner-up to Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo at the French GP at Magny Cours overnight, insists four riders are firmly in the 2015 title fight, rejecting suggestion of a ‘crisis’ for Honda’s reigning champion Marquez.

Rossi retained his 15-point advantage by finishing second in Sunday’s French MotoGP, round five of 18, but with race winner Lorenzo replacing Italian Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso as his nearest rival.

Meanwhile reigning double champion Marquez – winner of the opening 10 races of last year – is now 33 points behind after dropping from pole to fourth. The Repsol Honda star later explained that the race day heat caused front-end problems for the RCV riders.

“Marc is a little bit behind in the championship also because he doesn’t have the 20 points from Argentina [when he fell in their penultimate lap clash]. And after the first three races I heard also that Jorge was in crisis and now he won two races in a row,” said Rossi.

“This can happen also to Marc because he is a double world champion. He is a rider with an incredible amount of talent so he can arrive at Mugello and win without any surprise.”

Lorenzo had failed to finish on the podium in the opening three rounds before winning the next two races, propelling him up the championship order.

“I was very far from Valentino before Jerez,” Lorenzo confirmed. “Some people said I was in crisis and probably some of them are going to say that Marquez is in crisis because of these races.

“But you know myself, Marc, Valentino, we have the talent and we have to wait for all the circumstances to be on the right way and Marc is going to come back. He is going to win races and be competitive in the future. Obviously we have to try to keep this points advantage.

“The Honda I think is the same or maybe a little bit better than last year, but luckily for us we improve the braking and entry for the corners and can keep our strong points, corner speed and acceleration.”

Dovizioso, third at Le Mans, believes Marquez’s talent is masking problems with the Honda.

“It is always difficult to understand details if you are not on the bike, but my opinion is that the talent of Marc hides some limit of the Honda. Because he is the only one who is able to go fast. Also last year and especially this year,” the Italian said. “So I believe Honda at this moment does not have a perfect balance.”

Unlike Rossi (2), Lorenzo (2) and Marquez (1), Dovizioso is yet to win a race in 2015, but with four podiums from five events Rossi is adamant the Ducati rider is in title contention.

“I think that the [championship] balance will change week by week and I think all four names [Rossi, Lorenzo, Dovizioso and Marquez] are fighting for the championship. Also Dovi because he is very fast, very constant,” said Rossi, who has led the standings since victory in the Qatar season opener.

The Doctor also picked Dovizioso out as a favourite for the forthcoming Italian round: “In Mugello they [Ducati] go for a test, make a good lap time, work very hard. So I think that also Ducati will be there.”

But Rossi confessed that at present Lorenzo is his biggest threat for a tenth world title.

“In this moment I think Jorge is the rider more in shape, more dangerous, more difficult to beat.”

French GP race results:

1. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 43m 44.143s
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 43m 47.963s
3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 43m 56.523s
4. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 44m 4.033s
5. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 44m 4.380s
6. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 44m 5.288s
7. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 44m 19.636s
8. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 44m 23.744s
9. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 44m 25.714s
10. Danilo Petrucci ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.1) 44m 26.932s
11. Nicky Hayden USA Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS) 44m 37.779s
12. Loris Baz FRA Athina Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)* 44m 44.760s
13. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open) 44m 48.415s
14. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS)* 44m 49.402s
15. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 44m 49.658s
16. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 45m 5.050s
17. Alex De Angelis RSM Octo IodaRacing (ART) 45m 5.806s
18. Marco Melandri ITA Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +1 lap
Jack Miller AUS CWM LCR Honda (RC213V-RS)* DNF
Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RC213V-RS) DNF
Cal Crutchlow GBR CWM LCR Honda (RC213V) DNF
Scott Redding GBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) DNF
Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open) DNF
Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) DNF
Stefan Bradl GER Athina Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) DNF

World championship standings after round five of 18:

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 102 points
2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 87 points (-15)
3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 83 points (-19)
4. Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 69 points (-33)
5. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15) 61 points (-41)
6. Cal Crutchlow GBR CWM LCR Honda (RC213V) 47 points (-55)
7. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 46 points (-56)
8. Pol Espargaro SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 35 points (-67)
9. Aleix Espargaro SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 31 points (-71)
10. Maverick Viñales SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 27 points (-75)
11. Danilo Petrucci ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.1) 25 points (-77)
12. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 20 points (-82)
13. Scott Redding GBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 13 points (-89)
14. Hector Barbera SPA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open) 13 points (-89)
15. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 10 points (-92)
16. Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RC213V-RS) 8 points (-94)
17. Loris Baz FRA Athina Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)* 6 points (-96)
18. Jack Miller AUS CWM LCR Honda (RC213V-RS)* 6 points (-96)
19. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 5 points (-97)
20. Alvaro Bautista SPA Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 3 points (-99)
21. Eugene Laverty IRL Drive M7 Aspar Honda (RC213V-RS)* 2 points (-100)
22. Stefan Bradl GER Athina Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 1 points (-101)