...And then, there was one. The finale of the 2015 MotoGP World Championship, is today, at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, in Valenica, Spain. Valentino Rossi will start from the back of the grid. Rossi will have to start, from the last position, on the grid. The FIM has moved beyond the incident, and we now focus, on the finale. Lorenzo is on pole, and Rossi, starts last. The margin is small. We will look at qualifying, set the grid, and then, go racing.
Valencia is the scene of the season finale for the 14th straight year. Ricardo Tormo is a two-time MotoGP champion who won in 1979 and 1981. This is the final race for Bridgestone tires, in MotoGP, before Michelin becomes the tire supplier next year. The corner apexes on this track are very late, and also, the rider's spend a lot of time, in the corners, on lean angle. The track is busy, and narrow. Passing will be difficult.
In qualifying, Jorge Lorenzo set the fastest lap ever on this track at a 1:30 flat. Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa were behind Lorenzo. They could struggle. Valentino Rossi used the qualifying session to try setups. High temperatures and grip, are going to be concerns, for today's finale. Jorge Lorenzo believes he ran the lap of his life, and that it was the most important qualifying effort for him, all year. Lorenzo scores his fifth pole, and he hopes to sweep all four races in Spain, this year. Nicky Hayden makes his last MotoGP start today, and Yonny Hernandez, makes his 100th start.
Keep your tires under you. Be careful in traffic. Handle the contenders. Will riders move aside for the championship contenders? We'll see. The past 17 races are prologue, for what will happen today. Stay tuned, for the start, and a great race. The time has come. The last race of the season. One man will stand above the rest as 2015 champion. Who will it be? Rossi? Or, Lorenzo? 30 laps will decide the world title. We are ready, to race.
It's a cauldron atmosphere at the Ricardo Tormo track. It is all to play for within the next 43 minutes or so. The conditions are amazing. Cal Crutchlowhad an engine issue, and has to start caboose on the field on his backup bike. This is the sporting event worldwide, this weekend. Seven points, Valentino Rossi has, over Jorge Lorenzo. Can Lorenzo become only the third rider in history, to overturn a points deficit? We'll see.
The riders are ready. 30 laps. It's all come down to this. Go! At the start, Jorge Lorenzo gets a good start. Jorge Lorenzo leads from Dani Pedrosa. Rossi tries Loris Baz and is scything his way through the field. Pedrosa inside Marc Marquez. Lorenzo has the dream start, as Rossi has picked up ten places. He is going after the Pramac Ducati of Yonny Hernandez. Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Ianonne both got good starts on the factory Ducati's. #99 leads right now. But, things might change. One lap, done and dusted. Rossi needs help from the Honda's. He's up to 15th, moving inside Nicky Hayden in his last race.
It's hectic. Rossi is pushing. He lost the championship here, nine years ago, to Nicky Hayden, back in 2006. Rossi is pushing. He's up the inside of Alvaro Bautista. Stefan Bradl is his next target. The championship gap is now 14 points. Lorenzo sets fast lap at 1:31.416. Rossi passes Bradl's Aprilia. He's up to 11th and going for the top ten, trying to pass the Ducati of Michele Pirro. This race is a barn burner already! Rossi passes Pirro. He crashed in qualifying yesterday, but is now in the top ten. He has 12 points between him and Jorge Lorenzo!
Andrea Ianonne has crashed! Now, it's 12. The asymmetrical front tire for Ianonne, didn't work. Lorenzo runs another fast lap at 1:31.367. Rossi now has to catch Bradley Smith on the Tech 3 Yamaha. They go through the Angel Nieto corner, named after the 13-time MotoGP champion. Lorenzo is going for it. Rossi is pushing past Pol Espargaro, Danilo Petrucci, and Bradley Smith. It's a trio of riders. Rossi is right in Smith's face, now. The gap is under 2/10ths of a second, as Rossi runs 1:38.820, his personal best lap, which is still slower than Jorge Lorenzo.
Bradley Smith passes Danilo Petrucci. Petrucci says, "oh no you don't." Rossi is desperate to pass Smith. This is intense! Rossi looks up the inside of Smith. No dice. Smith tries Petrucci again. Not this time. Pol Espargaro ekes out a gap. Jorge Lorenzo is also steaming along at the front. Rossi is stuck behind Smith. Marc Marquez runs his personal best at 1:39 and change. Marc Marquez will not regain the crown. But, he will get into the points today.
Rossi passes Smith and the crowd goes crazy. The gap is now ten points between Lorenzo and Rossi. Will the right hand side of the tire, start overheating? Rossi has to get by Danilo Petrucci, who was second to Rossi at Silverstone back in September. Rossi passes Petrucci, and Petrucci runs wide. Petrucci ran wide into the Mick Doohan corner. Nine points is now the gap. Rossi now has to pass Pol Espargaro, and then, Aleix Espargaro. Working lap seven, starting lap eight. Lorenzo is marginally quicker than Marc Marquez.
Rossi runs wide into turn two. That will cost him time. 21 laps to go. Lorenzo is world champ for now. But, nothing is official yet. We're still running a race here, folks. Rossi is now up to seventh. Lorenzo has to be off the podium. Rossi will need Lorenzo to be outside the top two if he picks up one more spot. Rossi is up the inside of Pol Espargaro. He and Espargaro, touch elbows. Espargaro was on the inside. Cal Crutchlow is now up into the points.
Marc Marquez is 6/10ths behind Jorge Lorenzo. Rossi now closes on Aleix Espargaro, on the Suzuki. Will he do it in Angel Nieto corner? No. He has to track him down into turn eight. It's Suzuki vs. Yamaha. Here comes Rossi. He can't quite get there. Eight points is the gap. Rossi's Yamaha should have the legs on Espargaro's Suzuki, and he does it, but runs wide, and Espargaro takes the spot back. It's still eight points. Marc Marquez is within striking distance of Lorenzo. But, this time, Rossi passes Espargaro for good, on the brakes!
He's inside the top five, moving in on Andrea Dovizioso on the factory Ducati. Dani Pedrosa ups his pace and sets his personal best lap time. Rossi can't quite pass the Ducati. That bike has power! The gap at the front is a half a second between Lorenzo and Marquez. Rossi passes Dovizioso! He's inside the top four! Seven points... no, five points... is now the gap. This championship is far from over. We're not even halfway home yet. The Honda's are hunting Jorge Lorenzo. Blood is in the water. The sharks, are feeding, right now.
We are now at halfway. Jorge Lorenzo leads, but by less than 4/10ths of a second over Marc Marquez. Remember, Lorenzo will need to be out of the top two, for Rossi, to be champ. Rossi is fourth. He's not close enough to get his 10th title. It's been a long race already. Marc Marquez is as close as we've seen, to Jorge Lorenzo. Rossi is safe in fourth spot right now. Marc Marquez is applying the blowtorch to Jorge Lorenzo. Both Honda's will have to be in the game, to bring Rossi the championship. One Honda, won't be enough.
The 14 longest laps of the season, are now. Lorenzo is called "the hammer" because he's so consistent. Marquez is still behind. Lorenzo still leads. 13 laps left in the 2015 season. Pedrosa has crossed the line. Pol Espargaro runs ahead of Andrea Dovizioso. Cal Crutchlow is tenth. We are past halfway, working lap 18 of 30. Lorenzo has 12 points in his favor, in the lead, with Rossi, in fourth. The 12 point swing, puts Lorenzo five points ahead. If it does not come down to points, it will come down to wins, and Lorenzo would be champion, based on wins.
Dani Pedrosa has dropped behind Jorge Lorenzo. Rossi needs both Honda's to finish ahead of Lorenzo. It will take a massive mistake by Lorenzo to not be champ. Rossi's possible tenth title, could be slipping from his grasp. Whereas, Lorenzo can see the trophy, for his third title. Rossi has to hope that Lorenzo makes a massive error. But, Lorenzo is not known for making massive errors when he's ahead. Pedrosa is losing time to Lorenzo. Rossi is 15-16 seconds behind Lorenzo now. Bradley Smith moves ahead to seventh, ahead of Aleix Espargaro.
Cal Crutchlow sets his personal best lap at 1:32.449. Lorenzo is now also being shown Dani Pedrosa's position. Second place, will be good enough, to be champion. Lorenzo does not want to get into a scrap with Marc Marquez. He won't slow his pace at all. He can run consistent laps, all day long. He can go out on a Sunday ride. If Marquez passes Lorenzo, Rossi would lose the title, but be on equal points, with Lorenzo. Isn't that wild?
Lorenzo has now dropped into the 1:32 bracket... at a 1:32.035. Marquez is close to Lorenzo. Marc Marquez wants to win the race for Honda and himself. Eight laps remain now. The tension is so thick, you can cut it with a knife. Second place is enough for Lorenzo to be champion. But, he won't back off in any way. Dani Pedrosa was quickest of the top three, but that's inconsequential. Lorenzo and Marquez continue their battle, although, Marquez is still behind. Everyone is watching the race, not saying a word.
Seven laps now remain. Where's Rossi? He's run a good race. But he's just not in the right place right now. Will Dani Pedrosa mount a late charge? Lorenzo has led from the start of this race. Will he come under pressure from the Repsol Honda's? If Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez finish ahead of Lorenzo, Rossi is champ. Is there a final dramatic twist? We'll see in the final six laps. Dani Pedrosa runs a 1:31.5. He's quicker than Marquez and Lorenzo. He's within 1.6 seconds of Marc Marquez. If the Honda's move past Lorenzo, Rossi will be champ. He's not out of it yet.
Is there a final twist? How will the last page of the 2015 MotoGP season book, be written? Dani Pedrosa is within a second and a half of the lead battle. Five laps left. Five laps left in the race, and the season. It's not over yet. Marquez will likely make a move on Lorenzo. If Marquez passes Lorenzo., then, Lorenzo, will have to push, because Dani Pedrosa, is coming, and fast! Lorenzo is world champ for now. But... we still wonder.
Four laps to go now. Lorenzo would win his fifth Grand Prix title, and his third, in MotoGP. Pedrosa runs a 1:31.898 as he's faster than Lorenzo and Marquez. Does he have time to come back? Bradley Smith moves to sixth. Marc Marquez closes on Jorge Lorenzo. Pedrosa has the speed. Lorenzo is being told that he has to really push, because Dani Pedrosa, is a man on a mission. The gap is now under a second between Marquez and Pedrosa.
This is it! Lorenzo goes through the Mick Doohan corner. The two Honda's are harrying the Yamaha. He's hanging on, just by his fingernails. Two and a half laps left. Dani Pedrosa closes up through turn eight. Pedrosa is getting closer. It's a three way fight. Two laps left now. Marquez has not made a move. Pedrosa is right up there. The world title, is going to be decided in less than two laps. Pedrosas is trying to move in on Marquez. He can't quite do it. Here he comes. He's taken second. Marquezis fighting. Lorenzo can move ahead!
A lap and a half left! Lorenzo is so close to the title. This is it. The final lap of the 2015 MotoGP season is now. Rossi is fourth. He has no say. Marquez and Pedrosa are going for it, trying to pass Lorenzo. Lorenzo won't come under attack. Lorenzo is going to take the title. The Honda's are just not close enough. Jorge Lorenzo will get his third championship. Jorge Lorenzo will be the 2015 MoitoGP World Champion! He wins the race, and the title!
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP. Yamaha
A great fight. But, spare a thought for Valentino Rossi. He passed 21 riders in the first 13 laps. But he couldn't do it. Lorenzo wins seven races. Rossi, has won only four races. Well earned, by Jorge Lorenzo, after the onslaught from Honda, and the heroics, of his team mate, Valentino Rossi. Jorge Lorenzo has won all four races in his native Spain. He is only the third rider in MotoGP history, to come from behind, to win the World Championship.
Valentino Rossi, has done his best, to make this a season finale to remember, and the Yamaha garage, will still be packed to the rafters. This race was filled with tension. Lorenzo survived all that the Honda's could throw at him. Nicky Hayden, finishes his 216th and final MotoGP race in 17th. Jorge Lorenzo wins the championship by only five points. One of the lowest points margins in MotoGP history. Phew! The season, has come to an end. It's been one for the ages. Congratulations, Jorge Lorenzo. The 2016 season, begins next March, in Qatar. We'll see you then, fans. So long, for now, everyone.
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