Jorge Lorenzo claimed his seventh victory in ten starts during Sunday’s Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno, extending his MotoGP title lead to 77 points over his closest rival, Repsol Honda rider, Dani Pedrosa. Lorenzo who started third on the grid, passed the pole sitting Pedrosa in turn 3 of the opening lap and never looked back. Pedrosa was also passed by Ben Spies, but regained second place and shadowed Lorenzo up until the race’s halfway point. The Fiat Yamaha rider then broke away and at the end of the race met the checkered flag 5.494 seconds ahead of his fellow countryman.
Ducati’s Casey Stoner rounded out the podium, having taken third from Spies on lap nine. Valentino Ross—whose move to Ducati was finally officially announced after the race—seemed to have an off day. The reigning seven time MotoGP champion fell as low as eighth at one point but rallied to a fifth place finish, 4 seconds adrift of Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Spies, who will replace Rossi at the factory team next season.
The next race takes place August 29 at Indianapolis in the US.
2010 Czech MotoGP – Race results
1. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Fiat Yamaha Team 43m 22.638s
2. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 43m 28.132s
3. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 43m 34.064s
4. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 43m 36.361s
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 43m 40.568s
6. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 43m 49.453s
7. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 43m 56.034s
8. Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 44m 2.044s
9. Hector Barbera ESP Paginas Amarillas Aspar 44m 2.277s
10. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 44m 3.531s
11. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 44m 4.670s
12. Aleix Espargaro ESP Pramac Racing 44m 9.729s
13. Alex de Angelis RSM Interwetten Honda MotoGP 44m 14.006s
DNF:
Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing
Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team
Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
2010 MotoGP Rider’s Championship Standings
POS RIDER TEAM POINTS
1 Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha Team 235
2 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 158
3 Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro Team 119
4 Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda Team 115
5 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Team 101
6 Nicky Hayden Ducati Marlboro Team 99
7 Ben Spies Monster Yamaha Tech 3 90
8 Randy de Puniet LCR Honda 75
9 Marco Melandri San Carlo Honda Gresini 61
10 Colin Edwards Monster Yamaha Tech 3 57
11 Marco Simoncelli San Carlo Honda Gresini 54
12 Hector Barbera Aspar Racing Team 48
13 Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 36
14 Alex Espargaro Pramac Racing Team 32
15 Mika Kallio Pramac Racing Team 31
16 Alvaro Bautista Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 25
17 Hiroshi Aoyama Interwetten Honda 18
18 Alex de Angelis Interwetten Honda 11
19 Roger Lee Hayden LCR Honda 5
20 Kousuke Akiyoshi Interwetten Honda 4
21 Wataru Yoshikawa Fiat Yamaha Team 1