Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo won the San Marino MotoGP yesterday on a Yamaha to narrow the gap on series leader Casey Stoner.
The 24-year-old Spaniard came home clear of compatriot Dani Pedrosa, riding a Honda, while Australia’s Stoner, who started on pole, was third, also on a Honda.
Lorenzo — who celebrated by hurdling the barrier between him and his mechanics, landing in their arms — reduced the gap between him and Stoner to 35 points.
Stoner was gracious in defeat, but, worryingly, his reasons for losing suggested that he might be falling victim to a mystery illness he has had before when he complained of feeling weary.
“There is no excuses as everything felt really good, including the bike,” said 25-year-old Stoner, who was world champion in 2007. “I didn’t want to push too hard in the rain at the start and was content to sit in behind Lorenzo. I felt comfortable just behind Lorenzo and then made an attack, but when I tried to go for it I felt tired, my arms especially. I was worn out. No excuses, I am just worn out after the last three races.”
Meanwhile, Lorenzo was ecstatic to be back on the top step of the podium.
“I really needed this victory because the last two races have been a nightmare, so to be back with a really good bike is great,” Lorenzo said.
Lorenzo led Stoner by nearly four seconds with nine laps remaining, while Pedrosa was in third.
Pedrosa, though, paid no respect to the series leader and, clearly with no team orders, passed the Australian with five laps remaining, while behind, Marco Simoncelli, Ben Spies and Andrea Dovizioso were involved in a battle for fourth spot.
Stoner kept on losing time to Lorenzo and he was seven seconds adrift with four laps remaining, just conserving his place and preventing the Spaniard from gaining any more points on him.
Simoncelli had a thrilling duel with his compatriot Dovizioso, with the latter passing him with just over a lap to go.
However, Simoncelli refused to let it go and reclaimed fourth spot almost immediately to prevail by 0.37 seconds.
Veteran Loris Capirossi failed to get a fairytale result just days after announcing he was retiring at the end of the season, as the 38-year-old Italian failed to finish.
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