MotoGP: Lorenzo holds off Marquez for thrilling Silverstone win

Defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo survived a pulsating last lap battle from championship points leader Marc Marquez to win the 2o lap MotoGP race at the Silverstone circuit today.

Marquez had set the pole position in record time but his participation in the race was thrown in doubt after a crash in the pre-race warm-up left him with a dislocated shoulder. The 20-year-old MotoGP rookie did, however, manage to make the start and lost his lead to Lorenzo's factory Yamaha as his factory Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa slotted into third place after recovering from a poor start that saw him fall back to sixth place.

The top three then proceeded to run away from the rest of the field as factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi took his fifth fourth place finish of the season, almost 12 seconds behind third placed Pedrosa.

Lorenzo's 27th MotoGP win came despite two attempts by Marquez over the last three laps of the race that briefly looked to have given the Honda rider his fifth successive win of the season.

However, Lorenzo managed to snatch back the lead on both occassions. The second of which came just two corners away from the chequered flag.

Lorenzo's fourth win of the MotoGP season keeps him in third place in the riders' championship standings, however, eight points behind Pedrosa who, in turn, is now 31 points behind Marquez with six races remaining.