news details |
|
|
| Spanish MotoGP: Pedrosa wins as Marquez upsets Lorenzo | | |
JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA: Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa gained his first win of the season on Sunday taking the Spanish MotoGP.
The 27-year-old Honda rider came home clear of his team-mate Marc Marquez while defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo was third on a Yamaha.
Marquez, who went top of the standings on 61 points three ahead of Pedrosa and four of Lorenzo, once again showed his class at just 20-years-old as he passed Lorenzo on the final bend for second spot.
However, it left Lorenzo furious as they came together on the bend and he refused to accept Marquez's apology immediately afterwards.
Lorenzo maintained a diplomatic facade once he dismounted from his bike.
"I prefer not to comment on that I would rather talk about my race," said Lorenzo, who turned 26 on Saturday.
"It was a perfect race for my bike and the team. I am pretty sore about what happened but I prefer not to make any further comment."
Marquez, who a fortnight ago became the youngest ever winner of a MotoGP, accepted that he had been in the wrong.
"I wanted to say sorry to Jorge but it wasn't possible," said Marquez, who has had a history in the other categories of upsetting his rivals with risky manoeuvres.
"Sure if I had been him I would be angry but I entered the last lap and I knew that I could pass him and so I went for it," he added.
Pedrosa, who has yet to add the MotoGP title to his 125cc and 250cc world crowns, was delighted to have broken his duck for the season.
"It was a good race and I am delighted to have got a win under my belt," said Pedrosa, who has finished title runner-up on three occasions.
"Jorge was very strong but once I got past him I let myself establish a decent lead and then eased off as I didn't want to destroy my tyres."
Lorenzo produced an excellent manoeuvre after losing first place on the first corner, coming on the inside to pass Pedrosa on the first lap.
Rossi too was in sparkling form on the first lap overtaking Marquez, but the young rider displaying the class he showed in the previous race by reclaiming third spot on the second lap.
Both Lorenzo and Pedrosa opened up a bit of a gap on the pursuing pack led by Marquez and Rossi while behind the race saw four riders exit with 24 laps still remaining.
The highest profile casualty was Honda rider Stefan Bradl, who went too wide on a bend and rode to a standstill in the gravel which leaves the highly-rated German with just one finish in the three races this season.
Up ahead Pedrosa took the lead with a neat pass of Lorenzo with 22 laps to go while Marquez put some space between himself and Rossi, who was being chased down by British rider Cal Crutchlow.
Marquez upped the pressure on Lorenzo by hanging onto the four-time world champion's wheel attempting to pass him on several occasions with the older rider having to draw on all his experience to stave him off.
Oblivious to this Pedrosa established a lead of over two seconds on them and seemed to be well set for a comfortable victory.
However, even though Lorenzo was being hounded all the way through the race by Marquez it didn't stop him from eating into Pedrosa's lead. Alarm bells started ringing for Pedrosa as his lead was slashed by a second with two laps remaining but it was enough in the end as the real drama unfolded between his two compatriots and which could have ramifications further down the line.
The next race is the French MotoGP at Le Mans in a fortnight. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
