Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) won his third race of the season today at the Indianapolis MotoGP, bringing him to within 68 points of championship leader Jorge Lorenzo (Fiat Yamaha) who finished third behind the big story of the weekend, Ben Spies. After confirming on Friday that the rookie Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider will be moving to the factory team next year, Spies claimed his first ever Grand Prix pole position on Saturday and then went on to finish the race today ahead of future teammate Lorenzo, as well as the other factory Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi.
“I’m really happy to have got my best result in MotoGP in front of the American crowd and at a track as famous as Indianapolis,” said Spies, who at sixth is now the highest placed rookie and satellite rider in the championship standings. “I always said I wanted my best result in my home race, so it’s mission accomplished.”
“After the pole position I got a great start and it felt good to be out front for the first time in MotoGP. But I didn’t have the pace for Dani (Pedrosa) today and he rode a great race. I’m happy because I didn’t make too many mistakes when I was out in front and I was consistent for the whole race. When Dani passed me I knew I couldn’t follow him, so I let him go and concentrated on keeping a gap to Jorge in third and that’s what I achieved.”
Seven rounds remain in the 2010 MotoGP season. The next race takes place September 5 at Misano in San Marino, Italy.
2010 Indianapolis MotoGP – Race results
1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda 47m 31.615s
2. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 47m 35.190s
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Fiat Yamaha Team 47m 38.427s
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 47m 44.248s
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 47m 53.500s
6. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 48m 6.753s
7. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 48m 8.355s
8. Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 48m 8.440s
9. Aleix Espargaro ESP Pramac Racing 48m 16.52s
10. Hector Barbera ESP Paginas Amarillas Aspar 48m 22.983s
11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 48m 27.001s
12. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Interwetten Honda 48m 29.518s
13. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 48m 35.754s
DNF:
Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing
Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team
Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini
2010 MOTOGP RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
POS RIDER TEAM POINTS
1 Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha 251
2 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda 183
3 Andrea Dovizioso Repsol Honda 126
4 Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro 119
5 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha 114
6 Ben Spies Monster Yamaha Tech 3 110
7 Nicky Hayden Ducati Marlboro 109
8 Randy de Puniet LCR Honda 78
9 Marco Simoncelli San Carlo Honda Gresini 63
10 Marco Melandri San Carlo Honda Gresini 61
11 Colin Edwards Monster Yamaha Tech 3 57
12 Hector Barbera Aspar Racing Team 54
13 Loris Capirossi Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 41
14 Alex Espargaro Pramac Racing Team 39
15 Alvaro Bautista Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 33
16 Mika Kallio Pramac Racing Team 31
17 Hiroshi Aoyama Interwetten Honda 22
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
