Moto GP

[Rev004]

Rossi strikes again at Brno as Lorenzo cracks under pressure
Sunday, 16 August 2009

Valentino Rossi opened up a 50 point advantage in the MotoGP World Championship as Jorge Lorenzo crashed out in Brno when battling for the race lead with the Italian star.

Brno 2009 - MotoGP Race Highlights


Valentino Rossi got the best of his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo again at the Cardion AB Czech Republic Grand Prix on Sunday with the young Spaniard crashing out with five laps to go, as the pair battled for the race lead, handing Rossi a 50 point title advantage with six races to go.

In front of a crowd of nearly 140,000 fans the Fiat Yamaha duo had built up a ten second lead over the rest of the field but with Lorenzo desperate for points after his Donington DNF the 22 year-old from Mallorca pushed too hard again and slid out, with Rossi eventually finishing more than 11 seconds ahead of second placed Dani Pedrosa.

Behind Pedrosa, two more Honda riders, Toni Elías and Andrea Dovizioso, dueled for the final podium slot, with San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Elías just outdoing Repsol Hondaâ€s Dovizioso. Repeating his 2008 Brno podium was a perfect reaction from Elías as he learned he has lost his Gresini ride for next year.

Just over a tenth of a second behind his compatriot Dovizioso there was a morale-boosting result for Loris Capirossi in fifth place for the Rizla Suzuki team. Nicky Hayden, meanwhile, bolstered his confidence in sixth, from eighth on the grid.

Haydenâ€s countryman Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) will be disappointed to have ended up seventh after qualifying fifth and both Americans will be looking for top five results at the next round in Indianapolis.

The Brno top ten was completed by Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini), James Toseland (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda).

Mika Kallio and Marco Melandri were left bickering in the gravel after the pair crashed out when Kallio braked too late on the penultimate lap and both riders hit the deck.

CARDION AB GRAND PRIX CESKE REPUBLIKY

MotoGP Race Classification
Pos. Points Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Total time Km/h Gap
1 25 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 43'08.991 165.283
2 20 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 43'20.757 164.535 11.766
3 16 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 43'29.747 163.968 20.756
4 13 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 43'30.409 163.927 21.418
5 11 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 43'30.529 163.919 21.538
6 10 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 43'34.535 163.668 25.544
7 9 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 43'34.667 163.660 25.676
8 8 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 43'43.100 163.134 34.109
9 7 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 43'44.608 163.040 35.617
10 6 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 43'48.815 162.779 39.824
11 5 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 43'49.767 162.720 40.776
12 4 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 43'59.652 162.111 50.661
13 3 41 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 44'08.179 161.589 59.188

Not classified
36 Mika KALLIO FIN Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 39'38.278 2 Lap
33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 39'38.518 2 Lap
99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 33'15.284 5 Lap
84 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 12'13.902 16 Lap

Rossi reviews another successful weekend
Sunday, 16 August 2009

After another Grand Prix which decidedly swung things in his favour Valentino Rossi was in a typically upbeat mood at the conclusion of the Brno race.


Taking a 50-point lead into the final phase of the season, with six races to go at some of his favourite tracks, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi is on course for yet another World title courtesy of his Czech Republic success.

Although Rossi started on pole the practice performances of his team-mate and closest championship rival Jorge Lorenzo suggested the pair would be set for another head-to-head duel at the front of the race. That proved to be the case but Rossi got the better of the young Spaniard again in front of the huge Czech crowd as Lorenzo overtook him towards the end of the race only to hit the ground with five laps to run.

Afterwards Rossi stated humbly, “First of all I have to say thanks to all my team because this weekend we did a great job from Friday. During the practice we were struggling a little bit with front feeling and we were quite fast but not enough. After todayâ€s warm up we made another small modification which gave me a better feeling with the front tyre.”

The Italian star continued, “I knew that today would be tough because Jorge had gone with a fantastic pace in the practices. So I tried to make the perfect race, great start, stay at the front and push like a devil! I was making it hard work for him and then when he overtook me with six laps to go I was ready for battle and to put on a good show.”

“On turn three he lost the front and it is very bad for Jorge, it is a pity, but it is good for us as we now have a 50-point lead. There is still a long way to the end of the season but we have a good advantage, so we have to keep pushing and stay focused.”