Lorenzo charges to dominant victory

The Spaniard led all the way, while countryman Dani Pedrosa went through five minutes of torture, culminating in a crash on lap one

Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo who charged to a dominant victory in a dramatic MotoGP race at Misano, San Marino on September 16, ahead of Valentino Rossi (Ducati) and Álvaro Bautista (Honda).

It was a problematic start as a partially aborted 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, Repsol Honda’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.

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.

"It's was total chaos and many things happened at the same time,” said Pedrosa.

“It all began with the re-start 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 one 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 unlock it but they weren't able to, and due to the one-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 eighth or ninth by the sixth corner when Barberá hit me from behind, and that was it. I'm very upset because even though 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 five races to go and we will do our best."

At the front it was Lorenzo who had made the best start, followed by a valiant Rossi and LCR Honda MotoGP’s Stefan Bradl.

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 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.

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.

With three laps to go Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaró retired from the race, as Dovizioso and Spies had made their way past Bradl. And it was Dovizioso who provided the nail-biting 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.

"It’s been a very tough weekend because Dani and I have been very close in the qualifying and the warm up,” said Lorenzo.

“Unfortunately today he had really bad luck. 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 calmer 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!"

Lorenzo’s sixth victory leaves him 38pts 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 Jonathan 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.

Meanwhile, Anthony West was 20th in Moto2, won my Marc Marquez ahead of Pol Espargaro and Andrea Iannone, and in Moto3 Adelaide’s Arthur Sissis was 10th as Jack Miller failed to finish.

For full results and standings, visit www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics.

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Lorenzo charges to dominant victory

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