MotoGP News
Date:
21/October/2013
Jorge Lorenzo made history by winning the first ever MotoGP
race to feature compulsory pit stops, at Phillip Island in Australia.
In the process the Yamaha star slashed Marc Marquez’s title
advantage from 43 to 18 points after the Honda rookie was disqualified for
missing the pit stop window.
The pit stops, when riders were required to switch to their
spare bikes, were imposed by Race Direction as an emergency measure when
Bridgestone was embarrassingly unable to guarantee the safety of its rear slick
tyres on the new asphalt.
Lorenzo, Marquez and Dani Pedrosa had formed a breakaway
lead group by the time the lap ten pit stop limit approached.
Pedrosa pitted at the end of lap nine and Lorenzo on lap
ten, but Marquez stayed out. Disbelief and confusion spread throughout pit lane
- some suggesting Marquez had made a mistake, others that the information on
his pit board was wrong.
The 20-year-old duly pitted at the end of the lap eleven,
but by then it was too late and he was eventually disqualified. Honda stated
that it had been a ‘team error’, believing that Marquez could complete ten full
laps and then pull into the pits.
Despite his tender age, and the fact that Phillip Island
represented his first chance to win the 2013 title, Marquez kept his emotions
in check when talking to the media that evening.
Marquez explained: “We made a big mistake in the plan with
the team. It was a big confusion because we thought that we could stop before
the end of lap eleven. It was the whole team so you can't blame one person. We
made the plan together.
“The positive thing is that we were there and fighting for
the victory. When I saw the black flag and 93 it was difficult to understand
why. I thought maybe I was too fast on pit entry or maybe I crossed the white
line on the pit exit.
“The penalty was very tough but in the end it was the
decision”
While Marquez was left to ponder only his second non-score
of the year, Lorenzo was wiping the victory champagne from his leathers.
Lorenzo said: “It was a crazy, chaotic. The first time we
have changed bikes in a dry race and it was difficult for everyone.
“We have been lucky because without the mistake from Marc,
he would have been in second or first place today.”
As Marquez joined the race track after his late pit stop he
and race leader Lorenzo sensationally banged handlebars at turn one.
“We arrived at the first corner at the same time,” recalled
Lorenzo. “If Marc had looked to the right, maybe he could have let me past
because the rider in the race track has priority. Also I made a mistake and
braked too late. So I don’t know really who was at fault. I think 50-50.
“But if Race Direction had shown the black flag to Marc
sooner, he would have already stopped and the incident would never have
happened. It was clear he broke the rule so I don’t know why there was a delay.”
With just two rounds remaining, Lorenzo still has a mountain
to climb to deny Marquez of the title - but at least the summit is now within
sight.
“Our championship chances have changed so much,” he said. “Before
the race it was maybe 2-3%. Now it is 20-30%. Anyway Marc is very competitive
at all the tracks and if he finishes in second or third place at each race he
will still win the championship.
“We just have to try and win in both Motegi and Valencia and
then see what happens. There are a lot of racing laps left and anything can
happen. We have to push every lap to the limit.”
Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi joined Lorenzo on the podium. The
Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi takes place this weekend.
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