Heading to sunny Spain for the Bank Holiday weekend, round four of the MotoGP brought more high-speed thrills and intense local rivalries as the season continued to heat up.

After a disappointing Round 3 in Argentina, Respol Honda’s Marc Marquez found himself back on home soil at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain, with a chance to renew his bid for the title. Marquez fought hard despite his recent injuries, and kept the pressure on fellow Spanish racer Jorge Lorenzo.

But Lorenzo, of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, kept up a strong and consistent pace throughout, and in the end Marquez couldn’t quite replicate his successes in round two. Kept at bay by a full five seconds, it wasn’t exactly the closest race, but it was nonetheless a thrilling conclusion. Lorenzo continues to claw his way up the table, and the result will surely be welcomed by Marquez all the same, as it brings him back in the running for an overall victory.

Elsewhere, it was the turn of Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati Team to have a run of bad luck – slipping to seventh despite strong performances elsewhere in the competition. The one to watch, though, remains Lorenzo’s Italian team-mate: Valentino Rossi took a comfortable third in round four, bolstering his top spot lead by 15 points.

Round five will see the competition head to the legendary Le Mans in France on the 17th of May – here’s hoping for another race that keeps up the season’s intense pace.