Lorenzo signs off in a blaze of glory

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo has farewelled Yamaha in the best possible way
by taking a lights-to-flag victory in the final MotoGP race of the year
in Valencia, Spain. As far as valedictory 'speeches' go, it was one of
the finest.

It was the culmination of the perfect weekend for
Lorenzo, who started from pole position before escaping at the front and
then holding off a late charge from compatriot and world champion Marc
Marquez (Repsol Honda). Lorenzo also set a new lap record to complete
the 'full monty'.

"It has been an incredible weekend with a
perfect first few laps, the pole position, the fastest lap, and the
victory," said Lorenzo, fast becoming the Valencia 'King'. "I arrived
here in MotoGP at 20 years old, taking my first pole position on my
first race. After almost 10 years I leave with a pole position and a
victory, I think I couldn't have given Yamaha a better present than this
for its sup-port and hard work during these years.

"During the
race you spend 45 minutes completely focused on what you are doing to
dominate this bike, so when you cross the line you aren't very emotional
yet and you don't think too much, because you need to recover.

"After
two or three minutes I started remembering the best moments in my
career and also the hard moments and in parc fermé it was very emotional
with my team. For sure I will throw one of my biggest and craziest
parties today because it's a good day. We have to enjoy all of these
ex-periences and especially this last moment with Yamaha."

An
Italian battle between Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) and Valentino Rossi
(Movistar Yamaha decided the last podium place, and it was Iannone who
eventually got the chocolates.

Maverick Vinales (Ecstar Suzuki)
was fifth from Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), while last-start
winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) finished seventh ahead of Aleix
Espargaro (Ecstar Suzuki), Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and
Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini).

Dani Pedrosa
(Repsol Honda) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) both crashed, while KTM –
making a cameo appearance in the MotoGP ranks ahead of a full-time
campaign in 2017 – didn't complete the distance afer a mechanical
problem nobbled Finn Mika Kallio.

Aussie Jack Miller (Estrella
Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Honda) was 15th, and said: “This is not the result I
wanted but I struggled right from the beginning of the race with a full
fuel load, I just couldn’t push as hard as I wanted. The guys ahead got
a gap and by the time I got some pace mid-race it was too late.

"Towards
the end I struggled with wheelspin and also the downshifts into turn
one. But I’m happy to bring it home in the points and go to the test on
Tuesday and try some new parts for next year.”

Marquez finished
the season on 298pts from Rossi (249) and Lorenzo (233), while Crutchlow
was the first Independent Team rider in seventh position.

MotoGP results
1. Jorge Lorenzo, Movistar Yamaha, 45m54.228s
2. Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda, +1.185s
3. Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team, +6.603s

Australian:
15. Jack Miller, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Honda, +55.625s

Pole position: Lorenzo, 1m29.401s = 161.2km/h
Fastest lap and new record: Lorenzo, 1m31.171s = 158.1km/h

Championship top 3
Marquez 298 • Rossi 249 • Lorenzo 233

MOTO 2
A superb race – at last for the first half – as Franco Morbidelli
(Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Jo-hann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport), Alex
Rins (Paginas Amarillas HP40) and Tom Lüthi (Garage Plus Interwetten)
put on a brilliant show.

Zarco then began to pull away to sign off
on his Moto2 career in brilliant fashion, with the podium completed by
Luthi and Morbidelli.

Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini) caught Rins
at the end to claim fourth, while Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team
Asia), Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Jonas Folger (Dynavolt
Intact GP) filled positions 6-8.

Australia's Remy Gardner (Tasca
Racing) Scuderia) was 18th, as he now prepares to join the Tech 3 team
for the 2017 championship.

Moto2 results
1. Johann Zarco, Ajo Motorsport, 43m17.626s
2. Tom Luthi, Garage Plus Interwetten, +3.281s
3. Franco Morbidelli, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS, +4.981s

Australian
18. Remy Gardner, Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2, +29.667s

Pole position: Zarco, 1m34.879s = 151.9km/h
Fastest lap: Zarco 1m35.521s = 150.9km/h

Championship top 3
Zarco 276 • Luthi 234 • Alex Rins 214

MOTO3
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) again underscored why he's the world
champion after an unbe-lievable fight back through the field after being
as far back as 22nd in the early stages of the race.

Joan Mir
(Leopard Racing) was second, taking the title of Rookie of the Year in
the process. Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Andrea Migno completed the
podium.

Binder wasn't sure what happened with his KTM that forced him to slow and drop back early on.

"I
opened the gas twice and the engine cut and the power came in again,"
Binder said. "It hap-pened twice in two corners so I said, okay,
something’s wrong. I thought maybe I was dripping oil in the track so I
pulled off to the side but it looked okay, so I carried on.

"I
thought ‘now it's over’ but I pushed so hard and tried to limit the
mistakes. To finish my Moto3 career like this is awesome.”

Moto3 results
1. Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Ajo, 40m13.777s
2. Joan Mir, Leopard Racing KTM, +0.056s
3. Andrea Migno, Sky Racing Team VT46 KTM, +0.081s

Pole position: Aron Canet, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda, 1m39.261s = 145.2km/h
Fastest lap: Binder, 1m39.684s = 144.6km/h

Championship top 3
Binder 319 • Enea Bastianini 177 • Jorge Navarro 150

2017 opening round: Losail, Qatar, March 24-26