MotoGP returns to Spain for round five of the championship at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Six Spaniards start this race. Rumors about who will ride where next year has opened up. It's an early silly season. Jorge Lorenzo wants to stay with Yamaha but might go to Honda. Marc Marques could come in. But, rookies could not go to factory squads. Cal Crutchlow and Stefan Bradl might have a chance. Same goes for Valentino Rossi, but, he says it's still to early for him to make up his mind. Rossi says Catalunya is a big deal after getting on the podium at the French GP at Le Mans last time out.
Colin Edwards comes back after three weeks or so as his collarbone is still healing. In qualifying (during a session swamped with heat), Casey Stoner is on pole with a 1:41.295. Tires will be a big deal. Yamaha's riders will use soft tires and they will start within the top five. Dani Pedrosa did well but ran off the road preventing him from having a chance at pole. Rain could be a factor in the race even though it has been sunny and warm for most of the racing weekend.
The bikes prepare on their warmup lap. This track has thirteen corners. It will stress the tires. The riders use an asymmetrical tire. Rain might come. The bikes form up on the grid, ready for a start. It's Stoner, Lorenzo and Crutchlow on the front row. The race will be 25 laps. At the start, Casey Stoner, no, Dani Pedrosa leads the race with Spies, Lorenzo, Dovizioso and others getting a good start. Pedrosa will lead as Crutchlow is also right in there. The bikes run through turn nine and ten as Stefan Bradl battles Nicky Hayden.
Spies takes a wide line down the straight entering the second lap. The two Ducati's battle with each other. Rossi passes Hayden. Ben Spies is right on top of Dani Pedrosa. All three classes have run at Catalunya before. Casey Stoner is languishing in sixth place. There is a chicane at Catalunya used for the Formula One cars and not for bikes. Cal Crutchlow sets fast lap in the 1:47 bracket. Ben Spies passes Stoner for the lead but he runs wide and falls down! The Yamaha management was stunned! He's having a terrible season!
Pedrosa leads Lorenzo. Spies got on the brakes and didn't quite make the corner before hitting the gravel trap. The Yamaha team is distraught. Lorenzo sets fast lap now on lap three. Casey Stoner wobbled but stayed on the bike. Hector Barbera hangs on to eighth place. The option tire is harder and seems like it might comke into it's own later on. Lorenzo wants around Stoner but can't get there. Stoner tries to run fast lap and might have some chattering in one of his tires. Yonny Hernandez runs wide but continues before hitting the gravel trap.
Andrea Dovizioso is running a good race so far and he's at the sharp end. Alvaro Bautista might be the only Honda rider on hard tires. New leader. Jorge Lorenzo takes the lead out of New Holland corner. Dani Pedrosa tried, but Lorenzo was able to get by. Casey Stoner cannot keep up with lorenzo and Pedrosa. Pedrosa is keeping Lorenzo honest at the front of the pack. Rossi and Hayden close in on Bradl. Ben Spies passes Aleix Espargaro. Fifteen laps remain in the race. Dani Pedrosa is right near Jorge Lorenzo and gets the run on him to pass.
Can Lorenzo come back on Pedrosa? This battle put the crowd into a frenzy. Lorenzo ran wide onto the curbs though, losing time to Pedrosa. Just eleven laps remain in this race. Andrea Dovizioso is running just behind Cal Crutchlow. He ran deep into a corner but seems to have it gathered up now. Stoner and Crutchlow battle for the third spot (the last one on the podium). Jorge Lorenzo is closing on Dani Pedrosa. It's a battle for pride between these riders on their home circuit. Both have won World Championships, but not in MotoGP.
Randy de Puniet holds top spot in the CRT class now. James Ellison was the top CRT at Le Mans last time out. Jorge Lorenzo keeps closing on Pedrosa. Jorge Lorenzo is once again right on top of Pedrosa. Lorenzo is slightly quicker than Pedrosa right now. Lorenzo has an eight point lead in the championship. Can Lorenzo pass Pedrosa? Pedrosa knows Lorenzo is right on him coming into turn ten. Lorenzo wants the #1 plate back. Lorenzo tries into the corner early and then tries again into turn three.
The fans must love this as two of their hometown heroes battle. Five laps left. Andrea Dovizioso gaps Casey Stoner with Cal Crutchlow not too far away. Dani Pedrosa held on after a wheelie but that was not enough to stop Lorenzo from passing. Can Pedrosa run down Lorenzo? Cal Crutchlow is applying the blowtorch to Casey Stoner. Just three and a half laps left in this race. Lorenzo looks to have it in the bag. The battle for fourth between Crutchlow and Stoner is still red hot. Four laps to go. Stoner won this race last year. Lorenzo uncoils an advantage over Pedrosa.
Yamaha has indeed made the right tire decision. Michele Pirro passes Randy de Puniet in CRT and is closing on Alexis Espargaro. Nicky Hayden, Hector Barbera, Stefan Bradl and Ben Spies are all taking up the lower half of the top ten. Spies is doing very well though, considering his off track excursion and fall earlier. It's the last lap. Dani Pedrosa will be second. But the battle is now for third between Stoner and Dovizioso. Dovizioso runs wide. Will Stoner pass? He's all over him like a rash! Jorge Lorenzo wins! Andrea Dovizioso holds on for third place and the last spot on the podium! Phew! What a race!
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
The next race in MotoGP is the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit. That race will be run in two weeks.
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