Yamaha’s Jorge LorenzoSpoiler Alert – 2015 Valencia MotoGP Results and 2015 World Champion report below.Nobody paid much attention to the MotoGP season finale over the past two years. Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez was already crowned champion before the season finale both of those years, and the excitement surrounding the final round at Valencia was centered around racing for pure fun – not a title.
This year was much different. The 2015 MotoGP season finale came down to the last round. Seven points separated Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi from teammate Jorge Lorenzo, and a bunch of different scenarios had to play out to make either champion.But from the outset of the 30-lap race, one rider dominated, and did just what he needed to earn the 2015 MotoGP title. The rider? Lorenzo, who relentlessly fought for a third premier-class title at Valencia.Lorenzo, who earned a record pole at his home circuit in Spain, got the hole shot and led all 30 laps. His only challenge came from Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, who finished second. Taking the final podium was Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa.Yamaha’s Valentino RossiThough Lorenzo won the title, Rossi gave it all he had to come from dead last to a final finishing position of fourth. The nine-time World Champion was forced to start from last on the grid due to sustaining four penalty points this season – one at Misano for slowing Lorenzo during qualifying, and three for the controversial clash with Marquez at Sepang International Circuit two weeks ago.Rossi picked of riders one-by-one, and was fourth by mid race. The 36-year-old Italian finished in a lonely fourth, nearly 19 seconds behind the podium finishers and over six seconds ahead of Movistar Yamaha Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro, the top-finishing satellite pilot.With his win, Lorenzo earned his fifth World title( 250cc – 2006, 250cc – 2007, MotoGP – 2010, 2012, 2015), and become only the third rider in premier-class history to overcome another rider to earn the championship He is also the first since Giacomo Agostini in 1966 to clinch the title in the final round.
2015 Valencia MotoGP Results – Race Recap
Starting from pole, Lorenzo made turn one of 14 first. He was followed by the Repsol Honda RC213V pilots Marquez and Pedrosa, and Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone, in that order.As for Rossi, he started from 26th and was into 16th by the first corner. The Italian continually picked off riders and moved into 10th by the third lap. After Iannone crashed at turn 12 on lap three, Rossi was into ninth.By lap five, Rossi was in a battle with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 duo of Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro, and Pramac Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci. After passing these three, Rossi set his sight on Team Ecstar Suzuki’s Aleix Espargaro; he passed the Spaniard on lap 12, and a few corners later passed Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso for fourth.Rossi would remain there until the checkered flag. Fourth didn’t allow him to garner enough points to earn a 10th title. Up front, Lorenzo, Marquez and Pedrosa remained in the 1-2-3 positions for the entire encounter. This would be Lorenzo’s 40th win in the premier class, and 61st of his Grand Prix career.Honda’s Marc MarquezRounding out the top 10 were Smith, Dovizioso, Aleix Espargaro, LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow and Petrucci.EG 0,0 Marc VDS Scott Redding took the last points scoring spot in 15th, with Avintia Racing’s Hector Barbera in 16th as the leading Open Class rider, with the Spaniard securing the Open title in the process as his rival Loris Baz (Forward Racing) could only finish in 19th.As for the sole American in all of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Aspar MotoGP Team’s Nicky Hayden finished his final MotoGP race in 17th; the Kentuckian joins Ten Kate Honda next year in World Superbike.The MotoGP riders will remain at Valencia for the traditional post-season test Tuesday and Wednesday.
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This week, in the first segment Editor Don Williams talks to us about the new Kawasaki Versys 650 LT. It’s the middleweight ADV style machine that uses the same 650 parallel twin motor as the Ninja 650, so it’s an excellent performer in a user-friendly, good looking package.
In the second segment, I chat with one of my dearest industry friends—now retired Honda PR executive, Jon Seidel. Jon’s fascinating career spans some 30 years with Big Red, and gave him some great experiences with some incredible machines. I was fortunate enough to be invited on many of the press launches that he organized. His new project is documenting and saving many of the old archives from years gone by—and incidentally, if you have anything that may be of value to the project, please contact us by email at producer@ultimatemotorcycling.com and we’ll pass it all on to Jon.
So on that note, from all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode!
