YAMAHA’s revival in this MotoGP season continued with Jorge Lorenzo’s sensational victory in the Italian Grand Prix yesterday. Lorenzo rode the race perfectly, biding his time on the Mugello circuit to record his second win of the season and narrow the gap on runaway championship leader Casey Stoner. His cause was helped by Andrea Dovizioso finding a way past Stoner on the last lap to snatch second place.
The writing looked on the wall again when Stoner cruised to pole position in a damp Saturday qualifying session. It looked like those fears were going to be answered as he led the group of 16 riders into the first bend. Lorenzo rocketed up from fifth on the grid into second, then got involved in a private scrap with Dovizioso, who on his home circuit, was having his best ride of a consistent season so far.
Further back, Nicky Hayden ruined his chances of a strong finish when he went into the gravel trap on the second lap and there were more woes for Britain’s Cal Crutchlow. Having started seventh, the rookie, still clearly in pain as he continues to recover from the broken collarbone he suffered at Silverstone slipped to tenth, before retiring for the second weekend running, once again with tyre troubles.
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| PERFECTION: Lorenzo overpowered the Honda's in Mugello |
Tyre problems also hampered Stoner’s challenge. The Australian began to run out of grip on his front tyres and Lorenzo, having finally overhauled Dovizioso was ready to pounce, which he did with seven laps to go. This was a battle of who could look after their tyres the best, and it was the world champion who easily won this duel. Stoner was powerless to resist Dovizioso, who made a brave and aggressive pass on the last lap, which nearly had his team-mate running into the back of him. To show Honda is a great team unit, Stoner congratulated Dovizioso afterwards in the paddock, which was good to see – something he won’t have done in his Ducati days.
With Valentino Rossi struggling, the partisan Italian crowd was left for Dovizioso to provide the podium celebrations. He was elated with his second spot, one step higher than what he achieved in the corresponding event last season. It also keeps him in a comfortable third in the standings. However, he was no match for Lorenzo, who cruised home to record his first dry win of the season. Behind Stoner, Marco Simoncelli and Assen race winner Ben Spies had a private and intense scrape for fourth spot, which Spies won, bullying his way past on the last corner. Once again, Simoncelli missed out on the maiden podium he was chasing, but at least he managed to stay on his bike this time around!
After a great battle with Alvaro Bautista and Hector Barbera, Rossi fought hard to sixth spot on his stomping ground, which was the maximum he was going to achieve here. Barbera got his best result of the season in seventh, whilst Bautista faded badly to 13th, another sufferer of the softer Bridgestone tyres. Finally, Dani Pedrosa made his long-awaited return to the paddock, but clearly wasn’t 100 per cent fit all weekend. After a shocking start, which saw him second last at the end of the first circuit, he did well to come back to eighth. Although his championship bid is in tatters, Pedrosa can play a major part in the destiny of where the title may go, depending on his fitness levels.
After four races in five weeks, the teams will be relieved of a week off, before the next battle at the formidable Sachensring circuit in Germany. However, Jorge Lorenzo proved here in Mugello that this title scrap in the 2011 MotoGP season isn’t a write-off and is still alive and kicking.
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