Italian wins Argentina Grand Prix after Marc Marquez crash

Valentino Rossi won the Argentina Grand Prix on Sunday in Buenos Aires, having ended MotoGP champion Marc Marquez's race in a late crash.

Marquez saw his lead gradually diminish and, when he clipped the back of Rossi's bike to spin out, the Italian Yamaha rider was able to see out the win ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow.

Having started in second, Aleix Espargaro was involved in an early battle for the lead with Marquez before Jorge Lorenzo joined the fight.

However, Rossi ultimately offered himself up as the man to challenge Marquez, gaining ground on the defending champion thanks to softer tyres.

The lead gradually eroded to just over a second going into the final five laps and the battle heated up when the pair collided on the penultimate lap, helping Rossi close.

WHERE THE RACE WAS WONThe crash between Marquez and Rossi was undoubtedly the turning point in the race. Marquez appeared on course to hold off Rossi's challenge before he careered off into the grass, his race finished.

OFF TO A FLYEREspargaro initially started strongly from second and looked set to challenge Marquez and claim a first MotoGP podium finish of the season. However, he struggled to make his challenge stick and had to make do with seventh.

HOT LAPRossi claimed the race's fastest lap with a time of 1:39.019secs on his 20th circuit.

RACE TO FORGETMarquez will be eager to move on swiftly from the race, having been within two laps of back-to-back race wins before his crash.

RACE STAT TO REMEMBER Rossi has now finished in a podium position in each of the last 11 races he has finished - a run stretching back to the Indianapolis Grand Prix in August last year.

IN THE POINTSValentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) 41:35.644Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) +5.685sCal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) +8.298sAndrea Iannone (Ducati) +8.352sJorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha) +10.192sBradley Smith (Monster Yamaha) +19.876sAleix Espargaro (Suzuki) +24.333sPol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha) +27.670sScott Redding (Estrella Galicia) +34.397sMaverick Vinales (Suzuki) +34.808

TITLE STANDINGS Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) 66Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 60 (+6)Andrea Iannone (Ducati) 40 (+26)Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha) 37 (+29)Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 36 (+30)

NEXT UPThe MotoGP season now heads to Europe for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuito de Jerez in May.