Rossi romped to his fifth win of the season

Valentino Rossi romped to his fifth win of the season in Brno to move a step closer to a sixth FIM MotoGP Championship.

The Fiat Yamaha star started the Czech Republic race on pole position ahead of team-mate and nearest challenger Jorge Lorenzo and the duo fought out a race-long duel before the young Spaniard crashed out with five laps remaining to all but end his title hopes.

Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa inherited second after Lorenzo's error with Toni Elias, Andrea Dovizioso and Loris Capirossi rounding out the top five.

With Casey Stoner beginning his three-race break to recover from a mystery illness, Mika Kallio stepped into the factory Marlboro Ducati team for his debut and was lying in a creditable ninth before crashing on the penultimate lap, while British rider James Toseland was ninth on his Tech 3 Yamaha.

Pedrosa led at turn one ahead of Rossi after a trademark quick start but the masterful Italian took just three corners to slide past to leave Lorenzo in third.

Lorenzo soon passed Pedrosa on lap three to chase down Rossi and the pair then exchanged a series of new lap records before Lorenzo made a fine move with seven laps remaining to take the lead.

Rossi then made a move at the same corner with five laps to go and Lorenzo buckled under the pressure to crash out and leave Rossi to streak away to a 102nd career win, some 11.766 seconds ahead of Pedrosa.

Lorenzo - who also crashed out at Donington last time out - is now 50 points behind Rossi with the absent Stoner back in third in the standings.

Rossi said: "For us it was a great race - nearly perfect.

"I got in front of Dani and then pushed very hard but Jorge was just as fast. When he went past me I thought, ok, now the battle begins again but unfortunately he crashed.

"But that was good for me because 50 points is a big lead. Now we must try to keep it up and look to win again."

For Elias the unexpected podium meant a great end to a bad week in which he was told he would not be retained by the Gresini Honda team for 2010.

He said: "I am really happy because for the last four races we have been close to the front and this was a great result.

"I needed a podium and it was a present for me because of Jorge's crash.

"At this moment I don't have a bike or a team for next year but after this I hope to sort something out."

Rossi hoping for another good result at Brno

Fresh from a two-week summer break, Fiat Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo head to Brno in the Czech Republic this weekend riding high at the top of the championship. Despite a disappointing last round in the UK the pair remain first and second in the standings with seven rounds remaining, setting up a thrilling final seven-race run to the end of the season.

Brno is a special track for Rossi as the Italian took the first of his 101 career victories there, in the 125cc class in 1996. Since then he has added a 250cc win and four MotoGP victories to his tally, including a commanding one last year on the way to his eighth World Championship title, and three second places. The 30-year-old slid out of the lead in Donington last time out but remounted to finish fifth, meaning he managed to extend his lead at the top of the championship to 25 points from his team-mate.

22-year-old Lorenzo also has an impressive record at Brno, having won there in 125cc and twice in 250cc, both times from pole position. He finished tenth at the Czech track last year, a creditable performance considering that he was nursing broken bones in his foot sustained at the previous round in America. This year he arrives more or less in full fitness, having had a chance to fully recover from another foot injury, lying second in the championship and determined to put in a good performance to try to close some of the 25-point deficit to Rossi.

This year marks the 40th time a Grand Prix has been held at Brno since the 14km road circuit was first used in 1965. Today the modern track retains much of the character of the original road circuit, with its winding chicanes and dramatic elevation changes. The well-balanced nature of the circuit make it an ideal testing venue and the team will remain there after the race for a key mid-season test. Brno sees an important new rule come into existence, with all riders now restricted to just five engines for the final seven races of the season with a 10-point deduction for any rider who goes over his quota.

Valentino Rossi - “Rested and relaxed”
“The summer ‘holiday’ wasn’t as long as usual but anyway I’ve had the chance to recharge the batteries in the break and I’m feeling rested and relaxed. Last time out wasn’t ideal but in the end it was a positive day for us and we now have a one-race buffer at the top of the championship. Despite this breathing space we can’t afford to relax for a minute because our rivals are very strong and I expect everyone to be at their best in Brno. It’s a great track for me and I took my first ever win there; I’m hoping for another good result this time.”

Jorge Lorenzo - “Aiming to get back on the podium”
“I’m really excited about this race after what feels like a long time without one. It was good to have a bit of a break and I used the time to work on my fitness and to completely recover from the injuries I had after Laguna, in the gym and with my physiotherapist. The result is that I feel much better than I did in Germany and England and I’m excited to be getting back on the bike. I like Brno and I have had good results in the past there, including three wins. This time my aim is to fight hard and get back on the podium.”

Davide Brivio - “A good circuit for Valentino and Yamaha”
“After a short break, Brno is the start of three close races before the real season finale of the remaining four events. Brno is a good circuit both for Valentino and for Yamaha in general and we have to take advantage of this to manage and hopefully extend the 25-point advantage we currently have in the championship. Valentino has always been at the top there and it’s a track that’s full of important memories for him and for us, including in 2008 when it marked the start of us ‘completing’ the job of recapturing the title. At the moment we’re working very well and we are looking forward to maintaining the same high standard as much as possible. The competition amongst the top riders is very exciting and we hope we can offer everyone another great show.”

Daniele Romagnoli - “Great motivation”
“A little break to recharge the batteries has been useful for us all before the last seven races. This has given Jorge the chance to improve his fitness after his Laguna Seca injuries and he will be in good shape for Brno. All the team and Jorge want to forget the ‘zero point’ of Donington and we have a great motivation to catch Valentino at the top of the championship! From this Grand Prix the new engine rule will be applied but Yamaha has worked hard on engine durability and maintaining performance so we’re confident that it won’t be an issue.”

Rossi claimed pole position for the British GP

Defending world champion Valentino Rossi claimed pole position for the British Grand Prix here on Saturday.

The Yamaha rider finished just ahead of Spaniards Dani Pedrosa (Honda) and his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo with only one second covering the first seven on the grid.

Rossi ensured pole for Sunday's race with the top qualifying time of 1min 28.116sec which gave the eight-time world champion's fourth pole of the season.

Pedrosa was fastest in practice in the rain on Friday and again in Saturday's early session only for Rossi to turn on the power when it mattered most to edge out the Spaniard by .095sec.

Former world champion Casey Stoner, Andrea Dovizioso and Colin Edwards will start on the second row.

"I'm surprised," was Rossi's initial reaction after bagging his 55th career pole but his first at Donington since 2005.

He suggested rain, a definite possibility on raceday, could well play a major part on Sunday.

"We're not at the maximum with the hard tyre, so if tomorrow is dry, we'll have to reconsider and modify out settings as I don't have much grip," he added.

Pedrosa was satisfied with his afternoon's work.

"Front row is good, as we've not been there in the last few races so that's important," said the Honda rider.

The flamboyant Italian is targeting his 102nd grand prix win at Donington, which is staging its last MotoGP ahead of next year's move to Silverstone.

In 250cc qualifying, Spain's Hector Barbera snatched pole from Italian champion Marco Simoncelli by .092sec with championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama of Japan and another Spaniard Alex Debon completing the front row of the grid.

Briton Bradley Smith gave the home crowd something to shout about after taking pole in the 125cc division.

U.S. Grand Prix 2009 : Victory for Pedrosa

Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa stormed to a flag-to-flag victory in the U.S. Grand Prix before a sun-drenched crowd of nearly of over 46,000 on the challenging Laguna Seca circuit within sight of the Pacific Ocean in Monterey, California.

Starting fourth on the grid, the Spaniard jetted into the lead over the turn one crest and into the turn two left hand hairpin. Then he was gone. Pedrosa set one fast lap after another to pull away to what seemed a certain victory. But on the final lap Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) made a robust challenge to Pedrosa, closing onto his rear tire in the final turn. Pedrosa, however, was resolute, and used the power of the Honda RC212V to cross the line with a gap of .344s. Rossi was second and his teammate Jorge Lorenzo was third.

The victory, Pedrosa’s seventh in MotoGP and 30th career, was his first since the Catalunya Grand Prix on June 8, 2008. He was also able to solidify fourth in the championship after eight of 17 rounds.

What made the victory especially sweet, was that it showed he’d reverted to the form that can take him to victory after a very difficult set of races. Pedrosa injured his right hip in a crash in Mugello and for the following two races he couldn’t ride as he wanted. Today he was under no physical restrictions and showed what a powerful package he and the Honda RC212V can be.

Attrition took its toll on the field as they tried to complete 32 laps of the demanding
3.61k track. Only 12 made it to the finish, but four of the top eleven were Honda-mounted. San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Toni Elias finished a season best sixth and within .4 secs. of fifth placed Nicky Hayden (Ducati), who he chased to the checkered flag.

Randy De Puniet (LCR Honda) finished ninth, two spots in front of Alex De Angelis on the second San Carlo Honda Gresini machine. De Puniet had difficulty with traffic in the early laps before breaking clear. His fastest lap was the 18th of 32, by which time he was securely in ninth. De Angelis also found the early part of the race more difficult than the latter part. His fast lap was also on the 18th. And though he pressured Marco Melandri (Kawasaki), he couldn’t find a way past and was frustrated to miss out on a top ten finish by under a second.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) was among the unlucky. The Italian was in a secure fifth place and on the tail of the lead quartet when his front end slid away in the left hand turn five on the seventh lap. Earlier he’d had problems with engine braking after inadvertently hitting his clutch lever on one of the plastic stanchions separating the pit lane exit from the track. But he took full responsibility for the crash, which happened after repeated warnings.

Earlier, Gabor Talmacsi (Scot Honda) had crashed out on the fourth lap. It was his first race crash in his third MotoGP race, and on his first visit to Laguna Seca.

HONDA MotoGP RIDER QUOTES

Repsol took a narrow win in the 2009 US GP

The Repsol Honda rider took a narrow win in the 2009 Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca over Fiat Yamahas Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

At the start of the 32-lap race, the young Spaniard managed to get the holeshot despite starting from the second row, followed by Marlboro Ducati’s Casey Stoner, Rossi, Pedrosa’s Honda teammate Andrea Dovizioso and Lorenzo. American riders Nick Hayden and Colin Edwards weren't far behind in the sixth and seventh slots.

As the riders funneled into the Corkscrew, Rossi would dive-bomb inside of Stoner to take over second place. However, a few laps later Stoner retaliated with an inside pass going into the ultra-fast Turn 1. Behind him, the racing action got dicey, as Dovizioso hit the front brakes too hard coming into Turn 5 and crashed his Respol Honda on Lap 6. Luckily, Dovi was unhurt. One lap later, Sete Gibernau crashed his satellite Honda in Turn 11 with a little too much front brake.

Up front, Pedrosa continued to creep away from the field with a string of fast laps in the 1:22-range. Rossi would retake second position over Stoner and made the pass stick as the Marlboro Ducati rider's pace began to lag. On Lap 11, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s James Toseland got black flagged for allegedly jumping the start, thereby ending his race.

By midpoint , Pedrosa would be the first rider to break into the 1:21s, with the young Spaniard carrying a three-second gap over Rossi. As Stoner’s pace slowed, Lorenzo was able to move into the third-position. Meanwhile, American rider Nicky Hayden had muscled up to fifth, 11 seconds behind the leader.

With two-thirds of the race completed, Lorenzo was the second racer to break into the 1:21 range, as the injured rider tried to track down his teammate. With five laps to go, Gorgeous Jorge was within striking distance of Rossi and dove underneath the Italian in a daring move into Turn 11, but the 22-year-old ran wide on the exit, handing the position back to Rossi. The daring move killed the Spaniard's drive onto the front straightaway and Rossi immediately opened-up a one second gap. The next lap Rossi immediately upped his pace and also dropped into the 21s, ending Lorenzo’s chances of catching up.

By the final lap, Pedrosa was within Rossi's clutches. The Championship Points leader attempted to make an inside pass on the last turn but was simply too far away to make it happen. The two would motor down the straightaway with Pedrosa winning by three-hundredths of a second.

“I was able to make up time at the end,” Rossi said after the race. “I made some changes after the morning on the front end and they didn’t work so well. Once the fuel was able to come down and the tires to slide some I was much better and I was able to push and catch Dani. I was very close at the end in the last corner but a pass was not possible, too dangerous.”

Lorenzo would secure the final podium position, which is astounding considering his recent injury. Fourth would go to Stoner some 10-seconds back of the winner, with Hayden crossing the line another 10 seconds behind him in fifth, making the home-race a season-best for the American.

“It’s hard for me to say that I’m happy with fifth place being a two-time winner here, but honestly I’m pretty happy,” said the Kentucky Kid with his trademark million-dollar smile. “In the race I was able to get a decent start, but I really wish I could have got by Toni (Elias) earlier and try to get in that front group. I think I could have kept them in sight a little bit. They weren’t a lot faster than me. But, again, by far my best qualifying and my best race. I’m happy and I feel like we’re really slowly making some progress. We’ve come a long way with the guys on some settings and the electronics and I really hope we can keep it going.”

Edwards would collect a seventh place finish, behind San Carlo Honda Gresini's Toni Elias. Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen finished eighth.

Marlboro Ducatis Nick Hayden finished fifth at Laguna some 15 seconds behind winner Pedrosa.

Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MotoGP Race Results:
1. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) 44:01.580
2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +0.344
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) +1.926
4. Casey Stoner (Ducati) +12.432
5. Nick Hayden (Ducati) +21.663
6. Toni Elias (Honda) +22.041
7. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) +30.201
8. Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) +32.857
9. Randy De Puniet (Honda) +40.325
10. Marco Melandri (Kawasaki) +48.028
11. Alex De Angelis (Honda) +48.810
12. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati) +78.531
DNF. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda)
DNF. Sete Gibernau (Ducati)
DNF. Loris Capirossi (Suzuki)
DNF. Gabor Talmacsi (Honda)
Excluded. James Toseland (Yamaha)

Rossi: 100th grand Prix victory in Holland

Valentino Rossi claimed pole position for the Dutch TT at Assen as he bids to record his 100th grand Prix victory in Holland.

The Fiat Yamaha rider and defending FIM MotoGP World Champion, who is tied at the top of the current points standings with team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati Marlboro's Casey Stoner, left it late in the qualifying session before claiming pole with a lap time of one minute 36.025 seconds.

Dani Pedrosa was second quickest on the Repsol Honda despite still being hampered by a hip injury.

Third on the grid is Rossi's team-mate Lorenzo who will be looking to bounce back after the Italian won a thrilling duel between the two of them at the last GP in Spain.

Lorenzo was leading on the last lap when Rossi forced his way to the front at the Catalunya circuit near Barcelona.

Lorenzo became the only rider to qusport tralify for every race of the MotoGP season so far on the front row after his best time relegated Stoner to fourth on the grid at Assen.

Veteran Colin Edwards had led the session but was eventaully relegated to fifth on the grid on the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha as the times fell rapdily in the closing minutes.

Rizla Suzuki rider Loris Capirossi was sixth fastest and his team-mate Chris Vermeulen was next.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda), James Toseland (Monster Tech 3 Yamaha) and Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) rounded out the top 10.

Jorge Lorenzo's Profile

• Bike No.: 48
• Date of Birth: May 4, 1987
• Place of Birth: Mallorca, Spain
• Nationality: Spanish
• Height: 170 cm
• Weight: 55 kg
• Marital Status: Single
• Hobbies: Music, videogames, internet
• Total Races: 111 (17 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
• Victories: 22 (1 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
• Pole Positions: 30 (4 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
• Podiums: 44 (6 x MotoGP, 29 x 250cc, 9 x 125cc)
• Wins: 2 (250cc, 2006/2007)
• First Grand Prix: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)

Background

20-year old Jorge Lorenzo joins the Fiat Yamaha Team for the 2008 season as double 250cc World Champion, having won the title for the past two years with Aprilia.

Lorenzo was born on the Balearic island of Mallorca, Spain on 4th May 1987. He began riding motorbikes at home at the tender age of three and within months of taking to two wheels was competing in his first minicross races. In 1995, aged eight, he won the Balearic title and followed that up the following year by taking the Island’s minicross, trial, minimoto and junior motocross titles.

Lorenzo graduated to road racing and national competition in 1997 and it didn’t take him long to adjust, winning the Aprilia 50cc Cup in 1998. Despite officially being too young, a special dispensation in 2000 allowed him to compete in the Spanish 125cc series at the age of 13 and he made history the following year when competing in Europe and becoming the youngest ever winner of a European 125cc race.

The precocious teenager, once again showing that age was no limit to a quick rise up the ranks of motorbike racing, made his first foray onto the world stage with Derbi at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez in 2002, the third round of the season. He did not reach the legal age of 15 until Saturday and therefore missed the first day of practice but was unfazed by this and impressed the paddock by qualifying for the race, cementing his position in the World Championship over the course of the season as he got to grips with the circuits.

The young Mallorcan came of age the following season, winning his first 125cc Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro and then going on to win three more races the following season, finishing fourth in 2004 and taking his podium tally to nine before making the step up the quarter-litre class and switching to Honda machinery. Six podium finishes and four pole positions in his rookie 250cc season sealed fifth in the championship and, with a move to the Aprilia factory team, 2006 was widely expected to be his defining year.

Lorenzo indeed surpassed all expectations in 2006, dominating the class with eight wins and a record-equalling ten poles, clinching his first world title convincingly. 2007 saw more of the same and an incredible nine pole positions saw him win from every single one of them, claiming his second world title at the penultimate round in Sepang. He also became the most successful 250cc Spanish rider of all time in the process.

2008 sees Lorenzo make the step up to MotoGP with Yamaha, where he will partner Valentino Rossi in the Fiat Yamaha Team. A colourful character, Lorenzo has a fondness for exuberant post-race celebrations, which make him a popular figure with the fans. His nickname 'X Fuera', is an allusion to his flamboyant outside overtaking style.


Career Highlights

2009:
Fiat Yamaha Team, MotoGP World Championship

2008:
4th, MotoGP World Championship

2007:
250cc World Champion

2006:
250cc World Champion

2005:
5th, 250cc World Championship

2004:
4th, 125cc World Championship

2003:
12th, 125cc World Championship

2002:
21st, 125cc World Championship

Valentino Rossi's Profile

• Bike No. : 46
• Team: Fiat Yamaha Team
• Date of birth: February 16, 1979
• Place of birth: Urbino, Italy
• Nationality: Italian
• Residence: London, UK
• Height: 182 cm
• Weight: 67 kg
• Marital Status: Single
• Hobbies: Soccer, radio-controlled toys
• Total Races GP starts: 210 (150 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
• Victories: 97 (71 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
• Pole Positions: 51 (41 x 500cc/MotoGP, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
• Podiums: 151 (115 x 500cc/MotoGP, 21 x 250cc, 15 x 125cc)
• Wins: 8 (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP)
• First Race: 1991
• First Grand Prix: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
• First Pole: 1996

Career Highlights

2009:
Fiat Yamaha Team, MotoGP World Championship

2008:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

2007:
3rd, MotoGP World Championship

2006:
2nd, MotoGP World Championship

2005:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

2004:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

2003:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

2002:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

2001:
500 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPION

2000:
2nd, 500 MotoGP World Championship

1999:
250 GP WORLD CHAMPION

1998:
2nd, 250 MotoGP World Championship

1997:
125 GP WORLD CHAMPION

1996:
9th, 125 MotoGP World Championship

1995:
125cc Italian Champion

1994:
125cc Italian Sports Production Champion

1993:
3rd - 125cc Italian Sports Production Championship

1992:
Regional Minimoto Champion

1991:
4th - Italian Junior Go-Kart Championship

1990:
Regional Go-Kart Championship - 9 wins

1989:
First Go-Kart Race

Colin Edwards 's Profile

• Bike No. : 5
• Team: Tech 3 Yamaha
  
• Date of Birth: February 27, 1974
• Place of Birth: Houston, USA
• Nationality: American
• Residence: Texas, USA
• Height: 179 cm
• Weight: 69 kg
• Marital Status: Married with two children
• Hobbies: Snowboarding, golf, motocross
• Total Races: 102 x MotoGP
• Victories: 0
• Pole Positions: 3
• Podiums: 10
• Wins: 2 (World Superbike)
• First Race: 1990
• First Grand Prix: 2003
• First Pole: France, 16.10.2007
• First Championship: Japan, 2003 (MotoGP)

Career Highlights

2009:
Tech 3 Yamaha, MotoGP World Championship

2008:
7th, MotoGP World Championship

2007:
9th, MotoGP World Championship

2006:
7th, MotoGP World Championship

2005:
4th, MotoGP World Championship

2004:
5th, MotoGP World Championship

2003:
13th, MotoGP World Championship

2002:
SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPION

2001:
2nd, Superbike World Championship

2000:
SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPION

1999:
2nd, Superbike World Championship

1998:
5th, Superbike World Championship

1997:
12th, Superbike World Championship

1996:
5th, Superbike World Championship

1995:
11th, Superbike World Championship

1994:
6th, AMA Superbike Championship

1993:
6th, AMA Superbike Championship

1992:
National 250cc Champion

1991:
Amateur racing in 600cc, 750cc and 250cc classes

James Toseland 's Profile

• Bike No.: 52
• Team: Tech 3 Yamaha Team
  
• Date of Birth: 05/10/1980
• Place of Birth: Doncaster, UK
• Nationality: British
• Residence: Isle of Man, UK
• Height: 177 cm
• Weight: 70 kg
• Marital Status: Single
• Hobbies: Motocross, playing the piano and training
• Total Races: 18
• Victories: 0
• Pole Positions: 0
• Podiums: 0
• Wins: 2 (World Superbike)
• First Race: 1995
• First Grand Prix: 2008
• First Pole: NA

Career Highlights

2009:
Tech3 Yamaha Team, MotoGP World Championship

2008:
11th, MotoGP World Championship

2007:
World Superbike Champion

2006:
2nd, World Superbike Championship

2005:
4th, World Superbike Championship

2004:
World Superbike Champion

2003:
3rd, World Superbike Championship

2002:
7th, World Superbike Championship

2001:
13th, World Superbike Championship

2000:
12th, British Superbike Championship

1999:
11th, World Supersport Championship

1998:
18th, World Supersport Championship

1997:
3rd, British Supersport Championship, British Honda CB500 Cup Champion

1996:
11th, Superteen Championship

1995:
Junior Road Race Championship (Champion)

1994:
125cc Road racing

1992:
Inter 100cc Youth Series (Best Newcomer)