MotoGP: Lorenzo charges to dominant victory in dramatic Misano race

Sun, Sep 16th, Gran Premio Aperol di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini– At this weekend’s Misano GP it was Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo who charged to a dominant victory in a dramatic race ahead of Valentino Rossi and Álvaro Bautista.

It was a problematic start as a partially aborted race-start due to issues with Karel Abraham’s Cardion AB Racing Ducati prompted a re-start. The race was then shortened to 27 laps due to the additional sighting lap, yet in another twist, pole-sitter Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa then also had to start from the back of the grid after wheeling his bike into pit-lane to re-start it, after his team could not resolve a locked front-wheel in the given time.

Jorge Lorenzo – Position 1st – “It’s been a very tough weekend because Dani and I have been very close in the qualifying and the warm up. Unfortunately today he had really bad luck, first with the lights at the beginning of the race and then Hector took him out. This was really unfortunate for him. In Holland we were unlucky and today he was unlucky, anything can happen in these races. We have to be happy with our result and the point advantage we now have, for sure we are much more calm now than before the race! The race was difficult for everyone, only having qualifying was not enough when you have to set up the chassis and electronics and everything for the race. It was hotter during the race so there was less grip too. I almost crashed in turn one but managed to save it too!”

Dani Pedrosa DNF – “It was total chaos and many things happened at the same time. It all began with the restart because the procedure was not at all clear. Nobody knew if it was one minute, three minutes, warmers on or off… We were also getting different information about the number of laps, 26, 27… Then suddenly we were told it was 1 minute to the start of the race, with no board signage, nothing. The mechanics were rushing to prepare and when they tried to take off the warmers my front wheel was somehow locked, they tried to unlocked it but they weren’t able to and due to the 1 minute warning —where they are not allowed to touch the bike anymore— they put me to the back of the grid. I tried to remain focused, not make any mistake on the first lap, make clear moves to overtake riders and I was 8th or 9th by the sixth corner when Barberá hit me from behind, and that was it. I’m very upset because even it’s easy to say now, I think I could have had a chance to win this race, even starting from the last place on the grid. Now the Championship is obviously more uphill for me, but I will continue the same way. We have done everything we could so far, the bike is working well and I’m riding well, too. So it’s not over for me; there are still 5 races to go and we will do our best.”

The story unfolded further and the championship battle took yet another blow, as Pedrosa was taken out in the first few bends by the front wheel of Pramac Racings’ Héctor Barberá, as the Repsol rider was making his way up the field. Afterwards, an apologetic Barberá cited missing his braking marker as the reason he locked up his front wheel, causing him to slide into Pedrosa. At the front it was Lorenzo who had made the best start, followed by a valiant Valentino Rossi on board his Ducati, and LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl.

Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) 2nd “It was a really nice race, and I’m very happy. It’s a great result, which I’d like to dedicate to Sic and his family, Paolo, Rossella, and Martina. I’d also like to thank all the guys who work with me and everyone at Ducati Corse who are giving their best, like me: after two difficult years, we really needed that. I’m very pleased because we did a dry race at a high level, always with a fast pace, and with a limited gap to Lorenzo. We worked well. The new frame and swingarm allow us to make more changes to the geometry, and in fact here the feeling with the front was improved and the bike also seemed to be better balanced on acceleration. The setup that we found was also good, as I managed to be fast and consistent for the whole race. It will be important to continue working well and do our best to take the Ducati as high as possible in the next races as well.”

It was a crash-strewn affair from the beginning as Abraham, Speed Master’s Mattia Pasini and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow all tumbled out in the opening laps. Crutchlow’s teammate Dovizioso was sticking to Bradl, as San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Álvaro Bautista took Yamaha’s Ben Spies for fifth. With 19 laps remaining Lorenzo had pulled out a lead over Rossi, who was working tirelessly to keep Bradl at bay.

Alvaro Bautista (3rd) “It is always nice to finish on the podium but especially for me today with this being my first in MotoGP. Above all this is a very special weekend for me and the team because our memories of Marco are so strong coming here to the circuit named in his honour. After a few tough races we have worked well here and managed to fight for the podium at last. I am so happy for the team and for Marco because I am sure that wherever he is right now he was pushing us along. I could feel his hand on my shoulder today and I realised at the end that my name had come loose from my leathers so you could say it was Marco that was with us today. It has been an extraordinary day and I almost crashed at the start – I picked myself up on my right elbow. I am happy for everybody who has believed in me and I want to dedicate this very special podium also to them.”

With 12 laps to go Bautista had caught up to the rear wheel of Dovizioso and was looking for a way through. After stalking him for over half the lap he made his way through into fourth to chase Bradl, whom he caught up with two laps later. Bautista looked like a man possessed as he then pushed his way past the German into the final podium spot. Behind the Spaniard, Bradl, Dovizioso and Spies were all closing in with seven laps to go to battle it out for third spot.

Jonathan Rea (Repsol Honda for Casey Stoner) “It was a tough race and I just wanted to get into a rhythm and maintain it. I’m still nowhere near the limit, I’m not really having any moments, just a few mistakes running wide, it’s a matter of trust and I’m still acclimatising to the machine. I’m really happy with the progress I made throughout the race and I learnt so much that you simply can’t pick up in testing about race distance, how the tyre wear goes down, the fuel load and how the bike behaves differently. In the beginning Nicky [Hayden] pulled a gap and I was catching him but in the end it wasn’t enough. To finish 8th is ok, but the gap to the front is a little frustrating. In general I’m really happy and I’m looking forward to the next challenge in Aragon. I want to thank all the Repsol Honda team for their hard work and support they’ve given me and to all the fans back home.”

With three laps to go Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaró was forced to retire from the race, as Dovizioso and Spies had made their was past Bradl. And it was Dovizioso who provided the nail-bighting finish, tussling with Bautista until the bitter end. Yet it was Lorenzo who finally took the chequered flag with an ecstatic Rossi in second and Bautista recording his first ever MotoGP podium in third after a photo finish with Dovizioso. Lorenzo’s sixth victory leaves him 38-points clear at the top of the championship, while Rossi’s podium was his best finish on a Ducati in the dry. Behind Dovizioso in fifth was Spies, ahead of Bradl and Ducati’s Nicky Hayden. Repsol Honda’s Rea did well to finish eighth in his first GP race, ahead of Espargaró’s teammate Randy De Puniet and San Carlo’s Michele Pirro.

2012 MotoGP San Marino- Misano, San Marino 16/09/2012 27 Laps

Race 

1 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 42’49.836

2 Valentino Rossi Ducati ITA 0’04.398

3 Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 0’06.055

4 Andrea Dovizioso Yamaha ITA 0’06.058

5 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 0’07.543

6 Stefan Bradl Honda GER 0’13.272

7 Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 0’40.907

8 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 0’43.162

9 Randy De Puniet ART FRA 1’09.627

10 Michele Pirro FTR ITA 1’13.605

11 Colin Edwards Suter USA 1’16.695

12 Yonny Hernandez BQR-FTR COL 1’19.073

13 James Ellison ART GBR 1’19.408

14 Danilo Petrucci Ioda ITA -1Laps

15 David Salom BQR ESP -1Laps

 

MotoGP World Standing

Rider Standings After Race 13 of 18

1. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 270

2. Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 232

3. Casey Stoner Honda AUS 186

4. Andrea Dovizioso Yamaha ITA 163

5. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 122

6. Valentino Rossi Ducati ITA 120

7. Alvaro Bautista Honda ESP 118

8. Stefan Bradl Honda GER 115

9. Nicky Hayden Ducati USA 93

10. Ben Spies Yamaha USA 77

11. Hector Barbera Ducati ESP 60

12. Randy De Puniet ART FRA 48

13. Aleix Espargaro ART ESP 45

14. Karel Abraham Ducati CZE 25

15. Yonny Hernandez BQR-FTR COL 25

16. Michele Pirro FTR ITA 24