Catalunya MotoGP: Lorenzo dominates to take victory

Jorge Lorenzo took a dominating win in his home GP at Catalunya today, beating Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez with ease to make an all-Spanish podium.

Lorenzo squeezed aside the pole man Pedrosa off the line to lead from the off, and although Pedrosa managed to pull in his lead a number of times, he was never close enough to make a passing attempt.

Pedrosa was prevented from challenging him in the closing stages of the race as he was forced into defensive riding to keep his teammate behind him.

Marquez made numerous attempts to pass, until eventually he lost time when he touched Pedrosa’s back tyre and almost crashed.

Cal Crutchlow crashed early in the race, losing the front on lap 5 and allowing Valentino Rossi to take fourth.

Stefan Bradl was fifth, while Bradley Smith rode to a career best sixth place.

Michael Laverty crashed his PBM CRT machine on the first lap, while running high in the field.

Lorenzo said “I didn’t expect this victory at all. I made a good start, as I knew the key as to not let Dani get away. It was a nightmare race because it was so hot, but I was able to ride a perfect race with no mistakes.”

1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 43’06.479
2 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 164.3 +1.763
3 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda +1.826
4 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha +5.874
5 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda +26.756
6 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha +32.228
7 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati +32.692
8 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Power Electronics Aspar ART +58.615
9 5 Colin EDWARDS USA NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki +1’03.142
10 51 Michele PIRRO ITA Ignite Pramac Racing Ducati +1’09.774
11 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Came IodaRacing Project Ioda-Suter +1’24.377
12 71 Claudio CORTI ITA NGM Mobile Forward Racing FTR Kawasaki +1’33.679
13 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Paul Bird Motorsport ART +1’45.355
14 67 Bryan STARING AUS GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR Honda +1’50.745
15 77 Javier DEL AMOR SPA Avintia Blusens FTR 1 Lap
16 52 Lukas PESEK CZE Came IodaRacing Project Ioda-Suter 1 Lap