British Grand Prix 2010

[Jay Adgie]

Jorge Lorenzo sets Silverstone pace

By Matthew Birt -MCN
MotoGP
18 June 2010 16:30

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo mastered the long and fast new Silverstone circuit faster than anybody else this afternoon to top the opening practice session for Sunday’s British MotoGP clash.
Lorenzo was largely anonymous for the opening half of the session as he slowly got to grips with the challenging 3.66 miles Northamptonshire circuit on board his factory Yamaha YZR-M1.
He moved into second place just before the halfway stage but didn’t hit the top of the timesheets until just 13 minutes were remaining when he posted a best time of 2.06.203 that put him 0.144s clear of Andrea Dovizioso.

And on his next lap he lapped even faster with a best time of 2.05.991 that was good enough for the world championship leader to top the session.
Lorenzo, who goes into this weekend’s race holding a comfortable 25-point lead over Dani Pedrosa in the standings, beat Aussie Casey Stoner by 0.142s.
Stoner, who has yet to score a podium finish in 2010, clocked a best time of 2.06.133, but was denied his chance to overhaul Lorenzo when rain started falling in the final three minutes to bring a premature end to proceedings.

Third fastest was 2009 British GP winner Dovizioso, who was a constant threat in the top three for much of the session. The Italian rider ended with a best time of 2.06.347 to finish just over three thens off Lorenzo.

French rider Randy de Puniet ended fourth quickest after he had led the session for long periods.
He was on top with 25 minutes completed with a best lap of 2.06.934 that put him over 0.6s clear of Stoner at that stage.

Texan Ben Spies was impressively fifth fastest on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 machine. The reigning World Superbike champion logged a best time of 2.07.250 to finish over a second off Lorenzo’s best pace.

The top six was completed by Italian GP winner Pedrosa, who finished with a best time of 2.07.586.
Nicky Hayden was a lowly tenth on board the factory Ducati GP10 while Colin Edwards too had a struggle in the opening session.
The veteran American ended with a best time of 2.08.525 that left him 2.534s off the pace.

 

[Jay Adgie]

Jorge Lorenzo storms to Silverstone pole

By Matthew Birt -MCN
MotoGP
19 June 2010 15:18


Jorge Lorenzo claimed his first pole position of 2010 today as fellow front row qualifiers Randy de Puniet and Dani Pedrosa suffered fast late crashes in a dramatic session.
Lorenzo steered his Fiat Yamaha YZR-M1 to a best time of 2.03.308 to finish just 0.126s clear of Frenchman de Puniet, who had threatened a big shock with his first premier class beckoning in the final stages.
The LCR Honda rider was a massive 0.729s clear of the field with just 13 minutes of the session remaining and he only lost top spot to current world championship leader Lorenzo in the decisive final stages.
But just as de Puniet threatened to retaliate with a brilliant late attack, he crashed his satellite RC212V at the fast Farm Curve left-hander where Ben Spies fell heavily this morning.
He was able to walk away unhurt, but unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa.
The Spaniard was third quickest and looking to lower his time of 2.03.586 when he crashed his factory RC212V machine at the Brooklands Corner near the end of the lap.
It looked a fairly innocuous front-end loss but then Pedrosa got tangled up with his bike and he needed to be taken away from the scene by stretcher having immediately grabbed his right leg.

With Valentino Rossi already out for at least five races, the last thing the championship needs is another injury to one of its biggest names, though Pedrosa was able to walk into the Silverstone medical for checks unaided and it seems certain he will be fit to start tomorrow's first British GP at Silverstone since 1986.
Andrea Dovizioso will start his bid for a second successive British GP success from fourth on the grid. His best time of 2.03.995 was 0.409s away from the front row.

Completing the second row will be Ducati duo Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner.
Hayden posted a best time of 2.04.332 to finish just over a second behind Lorenzo but the American was 0.062s ahead of team-mate Casey Stoner.
The Australian logged a best time of 2.04.394 but sixth is his worst qualifying result of the season.
Spies will start seventh on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 after he shrugged off the pain from a left ankle injury he suffered in this morning’s second free practice session.
Marco Melandri, Marco Simoncelli and Colin Edwards rounded out the top ten.

 

[Ross Balfour]

I wanted RdP to be pole, would of been awesome! If the replaced didn't have to be a Yamaha rider, I think Randy should take Rossi's seat.

 

[Jay Adgie]

Jorge Lorenzo romps to Silverstone success

By Matthew Birt -
MotoGP
20 June 2010 13:46

Jorge Lorenzo romped to an easy British MotoGP victory at Silverstone this afternoon to extend his advantage in the overall rankings to a commanding 37-points.
Lorenzo got a great start from pole position and only briefly surrendered the lead when title rival and fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa passed him at Stowe Corner on lap one.
But the Repsol Honda rider made a big mistake on the approach to the fast Farm Curve left-hander to hand the lead back to Fiat Yamaha rider Lorenzo.

It was a lead he never looked in any serous danger of relinquishing and only five laps had been completed and the 23-year-old was streaking away from the chasing pack.
On lap 12 his advantage was a massive 8.393s and the double world 250GP champion cruised to his third win of the season and his eighth premier class success.
Even more significant was Lorenzo’s victory stretched his series lead over Pedrosa with the Repsol Honda rider struggling after a crash-strewn weekend.

The triple world champion was already nursing badly bruised knees following a massive qualifying crash and he crashed heavily in this morning’s warm-up session at the Vale chicane.
Pedrosa gradually dropped down the field to finish in a disappointing eighth and immediately blunted the momentum gained from his dominant victory in Mugello earlier this month.
Lorenzo’s dominant charge at the front didn’t turn the 20-lap race into a dull affair and behind there was an enthralling five-rider battle for the podium unfolding.

Factory Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso continued his impressive form in 2010 with the Italian notching his fourth podium in the opening five races with a gritty second.
Dovizioso first claimed second from Randy de Puniet on lap seven at Stowe Corner before the Frenchman struck back on lap ten.
But Dovizioso claimed second again a lap later and he was able to fend off a ferocious challenge behind him that included de Puniet and American duo Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies.

Dovizioso moved into second place in the series with Pedrosa struggling home in eighth.
With Dovizioso in control in second, behind him was a superb scrap between Hayden and Spies, which the reigning World Superbike champion won on a nail-biting final lap.

Hayden had taken third from de Puniet at Village Corner on lap 17 and the factory Ducati rider looked like he’d done enough to claim only his second podium for the Bologna factory.
But the 2006 world champion made a vital mistake at the fast Abbey Corner on the final lap and Spies pounced to claim his first MotoGP podium finish with Hayden unable to respond.
Hayden had to settle for fourth spot for the fourth time in five races as he finished just 0.217s behind Spies on the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1.

Aussie Casey Stoner produced one of the performances of the day to finish fifth and just under 0.5s away from an unlikely podium.
The 24-year-old made a shocking start from the second row of the grid and was only 14th at the end of the first lap.
LCR Honda rider de Puniet ended in sixth place with Marco Simoncelli seventh.
Italian duo Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi both crashed out of the race unhurt.
Melandri was running seventh on lap one when he lost the front at Brooklands Corner, his San Carlo Gresini Honda machine narrowly missing hitting Spies.