MotoGP returns to Italy for the San Marino Grand Prix at the Misano Adriatico circuit Marco Simoncelli in the province of Ramini, Italy.
This is Valentino Rossi's home track. Just six races are left on the schedule for 2013. Every win by any of the top riders, will be for the championship chase. Ten minutes from now, the race will start. Now, Marc Marquez fell in the warmup, and fortunately, did not get hurt. Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez have both fallen in the past. Some of the crashes have been brutal. But, their suits aree fully kangaroo or cow leather. They have plastic protectors on the elbows and knees. They also have an airbag system in the shoulders and back, that is computerized. The airbags are contained in the suit, to protect the rider, because the g forces are so high during the crashes.
In the helmets, there isn't much special except for the rearoffs. They are made from fiberglass and one of the big helmet makers is called Shoei. So, Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa, and Jorge Lorenzo, have all been hurt at times this season. In qualifying, Marquez took his sixth pole of the season with a 1:32.915 after crashing in practice. Jorge Lorenzo takes second spot. Valentino Rossi is third. Dani Pedrosa is third, alongside Cal Crutchlow and Aleix Espargaro.
Michele Pirro is again subbing for Ben Spies, riding bike #51. Karel Abraham might have shoulder surgery this coming week after this race. We are three minutes away from a start of this race. The bikes are on their warmup lap on the Adriatic coast. Marquez shatters Casey Stoner's lap record. Yamaha has a new seamless transmission for their bikes. This track is 2.6 miles. It will run for 28 laps. The track was built in 1969 and modified five years ago in 2008.
We're ready! At the start, Aleix Espargaro has jumped the start. Espargaro passess Valentino Rossi. Cal Crutchlow and Valentino Rossi try their best. Rossi gets swamped. Bradley Smith is eighth. Lorenzo leads and wants to get away from everyone else, going onto the back straight. How will Yamaha's seamless gearbox perform? Rossi is catching the factory Honda's as Andrea Ianonne also passes both factory Ducati's of Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso. Espargaro has jumped the start and will get a ride through penalty, after starting sixth.
Stefan Bradl makes a pass. Lorenzo leads with Dani Pedrosa in second. Is Marquez concerned because of those crashes? Maybe. Lorenzo laps the track at 1:34.1. Lorenzo brings the lap time down to 1:34 flat. What can Dani Pedrosa do? Cal Crutchlow, Stefan Bradl, and Alvaro Bautista battle as Andrea Ianonne has crashed. Aleix Espargaro has to pit for his penalty. He hasn't seen the board yet. Pedrosa has not had luck with the rear tire today. Espargaro is frustrated. His team is trying to calm him down so he doesn't make a mistake.
Wow. This battle is getting heavy. Rossi passes for third spot while Marquez and Pedrosa scrap with each other. Jorge Lorenzo still has the lead here at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Nicky Hayden is eighth. Colin Edwards is 12th and is top CRT rider. Rossi runs 1:34.447 and Marc Marquez is still running quicker. Lorenzo is whistling off into the distance. Karel Abraham is out of this race. He's also going to miss the rest of the season after his operation. He's not feeling 100$ at all. Nicky Hayden, Andrea Dovizioso, and Michele Pirro, battle on all three Ducati's. Watch out, boys. Don't crash.
Hey Andrea, don't let the test rider, beat you. Lorenzo has 2.7 seconds in hand over Pedrosa right now. Lorenzo runs 1:34.3 and then 1:34.1. Bradl has one podium this year, (second place at Laguna Seca). Aleix Espargaro is 17th after his penalty, having passed Danilo Petrucci. Pedrosa has changed the fuel mapping on his motorcycle's engine. They are tight on fuel as it is and cold be even tighter next year, with requirements for a 20 liter fuel tank. No pit stops in MotoGP or most motorcycle racing, unless it's the endurance bikes.
Marquez may or may not finish on the podium here. Marquez dives to the inside of Valentino Rossi! Wow! Marquez sets fast lap and wants by Dani Pedrosa. Rossi has a new helmet design. It's Pink Floyd and their 1975 record Wish You Were Here. Fourteen laps complete. Fourteen remain. It's halfway through the race now. Lorenzo knows how to ride his race at the front. If he knows Pedrosa is closing, he'll push just that little bit harder. Giacomo Agostini is here this weekend. He brought Yamaha a championship when he left MV Agusta and came to ride for them in the glory days of the 500cc two stroke era.
Cal Crutchlow and Stefan Bradl continue to battle in this race. Marquez continues to close on Dani Pedrosa. Rossi is 2.5 seconds behind Marquez now. Marquez closes on Pedrosa. He fires it through turn two, passing Pedrosa. If Pedrosa can't respond, it won't work for the championship either. Now, can Marquez reel in Jorge Lorenzo? Pedrosa is not letting Marquez get away. Pedrosa threatens into turn one. Cal Crutchlow and Stefan Bradl battle. Andrea Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden, and Michele Pirro are eight through tenth.
Aleix Espargaro passes Danilo Petrucci and wants to catch Colin Edwards to be the top CRT bike. But, once again, it's this battle btween the two Repsol Honda's that will be the biggest deal in this race. Into the Rio corner, (turn four), the battle rages, and into Quercia. Marquez runs the wider line. Wow. Pedrosa gets by Marquez! It's the same thing Marquez has done to Valentino Rossi. Now, it looks like Marquez gets the best of Pedrosa. This battle isn't over at all with six laps left.
Lorenzo has a four second lead. He's going to win. There's no catching him. Who will finish second? Cal Crutchlow and Stefan Bradl still battle for fifth spot. Lorenzo's lead is still four seconds and Valentino Rossi falls behind in fourth. But, the order in and of itself has not altered much. Crutchlow and Bradl battle on their satellite bikes. Crutchlow on the satellite Yamaha and Bradl, on the satellite LCR Honda. Crutchlow will be a Ducati rider next year.
Lorenzo is looking for his sixth consecutive win in Italy between Misano and Mugello. Bradl has to get by Crutchlow for fifth. But, will he? After this race, just five races remain in the season. Final lap. Can Bradl run down Cal Crutchlow? It's hard to tell. On the run to Quercia or Carro, will be the opportrunities. Bradl tries to pass into Quercia and he does it. Bradl has the drive into Curvone. Lorenzo will win in Italy! He wins his third consecutive San Marino Grand Prix!
Stefan Bradl beats Cal Crutchlow to the line.
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
Five races left in MotoGP for 2013. The next one will be at MotorLand Aragon in Aragon, Spain, coming up in two weeks.
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