MotoGP Results
Jorge Lorenzo put in another textbook performance at Assen today, leaving his motorcycle racing rivals trailing as he led from the front to win the 80th Dutch TT and take his fourth MotoGP victory of the season.
In doing so he becomes only the seventh rider in history to have won in three or more classes at the historic racetrack, with 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP wins to his name.
Meanwhile Tech 3 Yamaha rider Ben Spies ensured that there were still two Yamahas in the top four, despite the absence of Valentino Rossi, with another brilliant performance to back up his maiden podium last week.
Mallorcan Lorenzo had looked the man to beat all weekend after topping both practice and qualifying and he got a great start from pole position and quickly pulled out a second’s gap, but by lap five Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner were looming large behind him and for a few laps it looked as if a tense three-way battle was in the offing.
However Lorenzo’s choice of the harder Bridgestone tyre soon began to pay off and, with a lighter fuel load by mid-race distance, he was able to step things up a notch and gave himself an unassailable lead, crossing the line 2.935 seconds ahead of Pedrosa, with Stoner third and Spies fourth.
The Fiat Yamaha man’s second win on the bounce sees him extend his championship lead to an impressive 47 points from Pedrosa, while Rossi remains fourth in the standings. Lorenzo has now earned 140 from a total of 150 potential.
The next round comes in just a week’s time at Barcelona in Spain, when Wataru Yoshikawa will join the Fiat Yamaha Team to fill in until Rossi is back on board his M1.
Jorge Lorenzo (Position: 1st Time: 41’18.629) says: “This race was a bit more difficult than Silverstone because Dani was so fast with the softer tyre early on in the race and I had to really keep my concentration to stay in front of him at that point. I was confident that my harder Bridgestone tyre would help me later on and this was the case, so we made the right choice. It wasn’t easy though and at the end I was sliding quite a lot, in fact I made a mistake at the chicane and nearly crashed so I was quite glad to finish! I am really happy that I have won here in all three classes because it’s such a historic place and the football I had in Parc Ferme was to celebrate this ‘hat-trick.’ Thanks to all my Yamaha guys and also to Bridgestone for this win, we have a big lead in the championship so we can afford to stay calm and relaxed. Now we go to my home in Barcelona and I am excited about another chance to race in front of the Spanish fans.”
Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager) says: “We knew before the start that Pedrosa and Stoner had chosen the softer tyre so we expected them to be fast at the beginning and in fact we were quite pleasantly surprised that Jorge was able to make a gap so early on. Then they came back to him but he is mentally very strong at the moment and he just kept his head and did very well to stay in front, because they were pushing him hard for a while. Once the laps went on and our fuel load was reduced, Jorge was able to use the harder tyre to his advantage and he succeeded brilliantly, we had no doubts about him. Well done to him and to all the team for this second win in a row on this special TT Anniversary”
2010 TT Results
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 41’18.629
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team + 2.935
3. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team + 7.022
4. Ben Spies (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 + 13.265
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team+ 15.323
6. Randy de Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP + 15.772
7. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team + 25.867
8. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3+ 28.991
9. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini+ 35.658
10. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Pramac Green Team + 35.837
11. Mika Kallio (FIN) Pramac Green Team + 56.769
12. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team + 56.890
13. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP+ 1’00.615
14. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP+ 1’08.074
15. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) Interwetten Honda MotoGP1 Lap
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Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team
Hiroshi Aoyama (JAP) Interwetten-Honda MotoGP
Marco Melandri (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini
Moto GP Championship Standings
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 140
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 93
3. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 89
4. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 61
5. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team 61
6. Randy de Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP 56
7. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team 51
8. Ben Spies (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 49
9. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 39
10. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 34
11. Marco Melandri (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 32
12. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Pramac Green Team 28
13. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team 28
14. Mika Kallio (FIN) Pramac Green Team 20
15. Hiroshi Aoyama (JAP) Interwetten-Honda MotoGP18
16. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP16
17. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP14
18. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) Interwetten Honda MotoGP 1
