Red Bull Grand Prix
Hot weather along with a bumpy track created very greasy conditions for riders at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, Round 11 of the 2010 MotoGP Championship. But these conditions seemed to be working for race-winner Dani Pedrosa.
After taking the checkered flat at the Brickyard that was waved by Jay Leno, Pedrosa went on to take his 34th GP victory of his career across all classes, followed by pole-sitter Ben Spies and series-leader Jorge Lorenzo.
Pedrosa’s victory at Indy makes for three different finishers in as many years of competition there. Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider Spies’ second place finish was his best ever in his rookie year, and Lorenzo’s third-place means the Spaniard finished on the podium on all 11 of 18 races so far this year.
Dani Pedrosa says: “In the beginning it was not very good, I was concerned. But I knew with a hot tire we’d go faster. And this is what we did. Thanks to all my fans in the United States.”
Ben Spies says: “I was pretty comfortable out there, but just didn’t quite have the pace. I thought when Dani came by me they already put the 1000cc engine in his bike. We just didn’t have anything for dani. Got a podium for a Americans, so I’m happy.”
As always, Pedrosa stormed his RC212V from fifth to the front quickly, starting behind Spies, with the Spaniard’s teammate Andrea Dovizioso and Ducati Team rider Nicky Hayden in tow.
Two laps later, Pedrosa took fourth from Hayden, who was riding with an injured left wrist from an accident at Brno. Pedrosa en took Dovizioso and began chasing Spies.
Spies said the first four laps were always the hardest due to everyone pulling away, but he maintained first for the initial seven laps. On lap 3, Marco Melandri went down on the San Carlo Honda, crashing during his 200th Grand Prix start.
Spies kept control of first place, finding a good rhythm, but couldn’t match Pedrosa’s blistering speeds. During lap seven, the Spaniard took the American for the lead. After only a few laps in the lead, Pedrosa had over three seconds on Spies. During this time, Hayden was taken by Rossi and then his teammate, Casey Stoner.
With 18 laps to go, the bumpy Indy track was really working the Bridgestone Tires, the 240-horsepower machines combined with 90-plus temperatures placing much abuse on the tires. On lap 10, one man who complained of a “too bumpy” Indianapolis track, Stoner, became of a victim of these conditions, and crashed out his Ducati Team GP10 on Turn 11.
The next rider out was Spies’ partner, Colin Edwards. The Texan didn’t crash, though. He had trouble with bike setup, saying he “can’t even lean the thing,” and pulled out of the race. Mika Kallio also crashed out his Pramac Racing Ducati on turn 10 with 10 laps remaining.
Lorenzo took Dovizioso at the line coming up on 11 laps to go, sneaking into the final podium spot. Two laps later Rossi took Dovizioso for fourth position; Rossi didn’t have much luck at Indy since the riders arrived on Friday, the Italian crashing three times. But he kept it on two wheels where it counted.
The order remained as is until the finish, the top five being Pedrosa, Spies, Lorenzo, Rossi, and Dovizioso. Hayden would finish sixth.
2010 MotoGP Indy Results:
1. (26) Dani PEDROSA, SPA, Repsol Honda 47’31.615
2. (11) Ben SPIES, USA, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +3.575
3. (99) Jorge LORENZO, SPA, Fiat Yamaha +6.812
4. (46) Valentino ROSSI, ITA, Fiat Yamaha +12.633
5. (4) Andrea DOVIZIOSO, ITA, Repsol Honda +21.885
6. (69) Nicky HAYDEN, USA, Ducati Team +35.138
7. (58) Marco SIMONCELLI, ITA, San Carlo Honda +36.740
8. (19) Alvaro BAUTISTA, SPA, Rizla Suzuki +36.825
9. (41) Aleix ESPARGARO, SPA, Pramac Racing Team Ducati +44.905
10. (40) Hector BARBERA, SPA, Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati +51.368
11. (65) Loris CAPIROSSI, ITA, Rizla Suzuki +55.386
12. (7) Hiroshi AOYAMA, JPN, Interwetten Honda +57.903
13. (14) Randy DE PUNIET, FRA, LCR Honda +1’04.139
DNF (36) Mika KALLIO, FIN, Pramac Racing Team Ducati 10 Laps
DNF (5) Colin EDWARDS, USA, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 12 Laps
DNF (27) Casey STONER, AUS, Ducati Team 21 Laps
DNF (33) Marco MELANDRI, ITA, San Carlo Honda 26 Laps
2010 MotoGP Point Standings (after 11 of 18 rounds)
1. Jorge Lorenz, 251
2. Dani Pedrosa, 183
3. Andrea Dovizioso, 126
4. Casey Stoner, 119
5. Valentino Rossi, 114
6. Ben Spies, 110
7. Nicky Hayden, 109
8. Randy de Puniet, 78
9. Marco Simoncelli, 63
10. Marco Melandri, 61
11. Colin Edwards, 57
12. Hector Barbera, 54
13. Loris Capirossi, 41
14. Aleix Espargaro, 39
15. Alvaro Bautista, 33
16. Mika Kallio, 31
17. Hirsohi Aoyama, 22