MotoGP News
Date: 14/October/2012
Dani Pedrosa took another nibble out of Jorge Lorenzo’s MotoGP Championship lead with victory at Motegi, in a race that saw the first ever all-Spanish premier-class podium.
Pedrosa overtook Lorenzo halfway through the 24-lap main event and went on to claim his fifth win of the season by four-seconds.
The final place on the rostrum saw a more heated battle, with Alvaro Bautista and Englishman Cal Crutchlow making contact as they disputed third - until Crutchlow’s Yamaha ran out of fuel on the very final lap.
“It’s unbelievable how things change no?” said Lorenzo of the all-Spanish podium.
“When Alex Criville had the first race victory in 500cc [in 1992] it seemed almost impossible for Spanish riders to win and now we can win quite regularly. It is a big day for Spain and I hope we will see more in the future.”
For Pedrosa, the podium had a more personal connection.
“For me, it’s not so much about the nationality, it’s more about the fact that when I was 8, 9 and 10 years old I was riding with Alvaro in the Spanish minibike championship,” he revealed.
“I have pictures of us racing together when we are really small. It feels like the world is so small, because today we are here together.”
Bautista was celebrating only his second ever MotoGP podium - and just one day after being re-signed by the Honda Gresini team for 2013.
“I am happy to be one of the three Spanish guys!” smiled Bautista. “But, as Dani said, this podium started many years ago with minibikes and the Spanish Championships. I think Spain did a good job to help us and this is the result.”
Either Lorenzo or Pedrosa will lift Spain’s third 500c/MotoGP World Championship title at the end of this season - following previous crowns for Criville (1999) and Lorenzo (2010).
Yamaha’s Lorenzo remains favourite, holding a 28-point lead over Pedrosa with 75 points still to be decided. However Honda rider Pedrosa has won four of the last five races and Lorenzo was left feeling openly frustrated by his latest defeat.
“You can see it on my face. I cannot stay smiling when I am a little bit disappointed with this race,” said Lorenzo. “We are closer to the championship, but I still want to win races and I felt I had a great chance today.”
The Malaysian Grand Prix takes place at the Sepang Circuit next weekend.
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