Spain’s Marc Marquez is the 2017 MotoGP world champion for a fourth time after rival Andrea Dovizioso crashed out of the weekend’s Valencia MotoGP, the 18th and final round of the series, which was won by fellow Spaniard and Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, ahead of French Yamaha rider Johann Zarco.

Dovizioso had to win the race to have any chance of snatching the title from Marquez, who spectacularly saved himself after a massive moment at turn one, just before Dovizioso ran wide and crashed.

Ducati’s Dovizioso spent the race staring at the rear wheel of team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, in fourth, who was repeatedly told by Ducati to let Dovizioso go past him. Lorenzo crashed out just before his team-mate’s exit, both on lap 25 of 30.

The Ducati disaster put Marquez, who had just taken the lead from Zarco when he suffered the turn one scare, up into third place. Team-mate Pedrosa then overtook Zarco for victory at the start of the final lap.

Zarco’s Tech 3 team-mate Jonas Folger was again replaced by Michael van der Mark. Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro was returning from a hand injury at Phillip Island. KTM test rider Mika Kallio and Ducati test rider Michele Pirro were making their latest wild-card appearances.

KTM’s Pol Espargaro began the race from pit lane after exceeding nine engine changes for the season.

An official test will be held back at the Valencia circuit this week.

Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here

Valencia MotoGP result:

1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 46m 8.125s
2. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1)* 46m 8.462s
3. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 46m 18.986s
4. Alex Rins ESP Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 46m 21.692s
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 46m 21.942s
6. Andrea Iannone ITA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 46m 22.641s
7. Jack Miller AUS EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 46m 25.212s
8. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 46m 25.355s
9. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (GP17) 46m 34.067s
10. Tito Rabat ESP EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 46m 35.145s
11. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) 46m 38.960s
12. Maverick Viñales ESP Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 46m 43.137s
13. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac (GP17) 46m 46.201s
14. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar (GP15) 46m 50.113s
15. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia (GP16) 46m 55.828s
16. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia (GP15) 46m 55.834s
17. Michael Van Der Mark NED Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 47m 0.259s

Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) DNF

Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP17) DNF

Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (GP17) DNF

Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* DNF

Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar (GP16) DNF

Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac (GP16) DNF

Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) DNF

Mika Kallio FIN Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) DNF

Final standings for 2017:

1. Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) 298 points
2. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP17) 261 points (-37)
3. Maverick Viñales SPA Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 230 points (-68)
4. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) 210 points (-88)
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 208 points (-90)
6. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1)* 174 points (-124)
7. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Ducati Team (GP17) 137 points (-161)
8. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac (GP17) 124 points (-174)
9. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 112 points (-186)
10. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1)* 84 points (-214)
11. Jack Miller AUS EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 82 points (-216)
12. Alvaro Bautista SPA Pull&Bear Aspar (GP16) 75 points (-223)
13. Andrea Iannone ITA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 70 points (-228)
14. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac (GP16) 64 points (-234)
15. Aleix Espargaro SPA Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 62 points (-236)
16. Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)* 59 points (-239)
17. Pol Espargaro SPA Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) 55 points (-243)
18. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia (GP15) 45 points (-253)
19. Tito Rabat SPA EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 35 points (-263)
20. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar (GP15) 32 points (-266)
21. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) 29 points (-269)
22. Hector Barbera SPA Reale Avintia (GP16) 28 points (-270)
23. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (GP17) 25 points (-273)
24. Mika Kallio FIN Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) 11 points (-287)
25. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* 5 points (-293)
26. Katsuyuki Nakasuga JPN Yamaha Factory (YZR-M1) 4 points (-294)
27. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1 points (-297)