Surprise win at Sachsenring
2011-07-17 15:08
BRAVE LOSER: Spain's Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) put up a huge fight in the 2011 German MotoGP at the Sachsenring but ultimately fnished second behind Alvero Bautista (Suzuki) who started 10th. Image: AFP
SACHSENRING, Germany - Dani Pedrosa continued his recovery from a broken collarbone by winning the German MotoGP here on Sunday ahead of compatriot Jorge Lorenzo and championship leader Casey Stoner.
Pedrosa started third but flew off the grid on his Honda, straight past pole-starter Stoner and into the lead on the first bend.
BROKEN COLLARBONE
Lorenzo and Stoner recovered to enjoy spells out in front but Pedrosa has won here four times, including twice in the sport's top class, and used that experience to grab a decisive lead on lap 25.
The 25 year-old Spaniard held on to win in 41min12.482, securing his first win since breaking his right collarbone at Le Mans two months earlier.
"The pace was so high, it was a great race and a perfect result for me," he told BBC Sport afterwards. "I didn't expect it at all. Just getting on the front row yesterday would have been good enough for me.’
His missed three races, however, have cost Pedrosa any chance of winning the World title.
However Yamaha rider Lorenzo remains in with a real chance of retaining his crown after edging Stoner (Honda) into second in a thrilling final lap, crossing the line less than a tenth ahead of the Australian.
'ONE OF BEST RACE'
Lorenzo is now only 15 points behind Stoner.
"That was one of the best races so far this season," Lorenzo said. "It was a fantastic race. I was tired early on, and was struggling to find the strength needed to keep pushing until the end, but then on the last corner I risked everything.
“I think it was a miracle that I managed to get second, I'm so proud."
His reaction was in stark contrast to that of Stoner, who failed in his bid to claim a fifth win of the season despite recording the fastest time in Saturday's qualifying.
"I'm disappointed,” he said bluntly. “We had a tough fight at the end there (with Lorenzo) and we lost but there's always next week.”
NEXT STOP THE US
Andrea Dovizioso came in more than 10 seconds behind the leading trio in fourth but his fellow Italian and seven-times World champion Valentino Rossi recovered some pride at the end of a difficult weekend. He took ninth despite starting 16th.
The championship will now moves to the US for the next race at Laguna Seca on July 24.
Result from the 2011 German MotoGP
1 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 41min12.48
2 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 41min13.959
3 Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda 41min14.050
4 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 41min22.995
5 Ben Spies (US) Yamaha 41min23.201
6 Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Honda 41min23.405
7 Alvaro Bautista (Spain) Suzuki 41min39.933
8 Nicky Hayden (US) Ducati 41min39.992
9 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Ducati 41min40.058
10 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha 41min45.973
Points after the 2011 German MotoGP
1 Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda 168 points
2 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 153
3 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 132
4 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Ducati 98
5 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 94
6 Ben Spies (US) Yamaha 85
7 Nicky Hayden (US) Ducati 85
8 Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Honda 60
9 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha 59
10 Hiroshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda 57
Race report shortly.
Moto2 result
1 Marc Marquez (Spain) Suter 41min37.457
2 Stefan Bradl (Germany) Kalex 41min38.353
3 Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Motobi 41min38.844
4 Randy Krummenacher (Switzerland) Kalex 41min40.870
5 Thomas Luethi (Switzerland) Suter 41min41.642
6 Yonny Hernandez (Colombia) FTR 41min45.148
7 Scott Redding (Britain) Suter 41min48.063
8 Simone Corsi (Italy) FTR 41min4
125cc
Spain's Hector Faubel (Aprilia) beat France's Johann Zarco (Derbi) in a controversial photo-finish to win the 125cc race at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenright on Sunday.
Zarco actually crossed the finish line marginally ahead of Faubel but, after consulting the photo-finish, race directors awarded the race to the Spaniard due to the fact he had recorded the race's fastest lap.
Spanish 16-year-old pole-starter Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) was third place.
Results and standings
1 Hector Faubel (Spain) Aprilia 39min57.979
2 Johann Zarco (France) Derbi 39min57.979
3 Maverick Vinales (Spain) Aprilia 39min58.251
4 Nicolas Terol (Spain) Aprilia 39min59.702
5 Luis Salom (Spain) Aprilia 40min00.763
6 Sergio Gadea (Spain) Aprilia 40min04.765
7 Jonas Folger (Germany) Aprilia 40min11.0
