Casey Stoner shook off appalling wet weather conditions to take his fourth victory of the season yesterday at Silverstone, in a race that saw defending champion Jorge Lorenzo highside out of the title lead and Colin Edwards claim a podium spot just nine days after breaking his collarbone. Edwards’ Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Cal Crutchlow missed his home race after sustaining the very same injury in crash during qualifying on Saturday, while Stoner’s Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa, also with a broken collarbone, remained sidelined for the second race in a row.
Stoner started the race from the pole and by lap 2 of 20, passed Lorenzo and Repsol Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso for the lead, where he remained uncontested for the duration. Dovizioso held on to second place unhindered after Lorenzo, and two laps later Marco Simoncelli, both crashed out of the contest in turn one, handing the injured Edwards his first podium finish of the season.
Lorenzo’s DNF at Silverstone, his first since Australia 2009, drops him to second place in the championship standings, 28 points back of Stoner.
The next race is at Assen in the Netherlands on June 25.
2011 Silverstone MotoGP Results
1. Casey Stoner (Aus) Repsol Honda 47 mins, 53.459 secs
2. Andrea Dovizioso (It) Repsol Honda +15.159 secs
3. Colin Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha + 21.480
4. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati + 26.984
5. Alvaro Bautista (Sp) Suzuki + 35.569
6. Valentino Rossi (It) Ducati + 1’04.526
7. Karel Abraham (Cze) Ducati + 1’32.650
8 Toni Elias (Sp) LCR Honda + 1’51.938
9. Hiroshi Aoyama (Jpn) Gresini Honda + 1’52.350
10. Loris Capirossi (It) Pramac Ducati + 2’03.312
11. Hector Barbera (Sp) Aspar Ducati one lap
12. Randy De Puniet (Fr) Pramac Ducati one lap
DNF
Marco Simoncelli (It) San Carlo Honda Gresini
Jorge Lorenzo (Sp) Yamaha Factory Racing
Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing
2011 MotoGP Championship Standings
1 Casey STONER Honda AUS 116
2 Jorge LORENZO Yamaha SPA 98
3 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Honda ITA 83
4 Valentino ROSSI Ducati ITA 68
5 Dani PEDROSA Honda SPA 61
6 Nicky HAYDEN Ducati USA 60
7 Hiroshi AOYAMA Honda JPN 43
8 Colin EDWARDS Yamaha USA 37
9 Ben SPIES Yamaha USA 36
10 Karel ABRAHAM Ducati CZE 33
11 Marco SIMONCELLI Honda ITA 32
12 Hector BARBERA Ducati SPA 31
13 Cal CRUTCHLOW Yamaha GBR 30
14 Toni ELIAS Honda SPA 28
15 Alvaro BAUTISTA Suzuki SPA 22
16 Loris CAPIROSSI Ducati ITA 22
17 Randy DE PUNIET Ducati FRA 10
18 John HOPKINS Suzuki USA 6
