- 2016-09-12
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SPORTS
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MotoGP Misano: Dani Pedrosa charges through to beat Valentino Rossi in San Marino GP
The Round 13 on MotoGP 2016, San Marino MotoGP race witnessed Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) took his first victory since Sepang 2015 and beat local hero Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) at Misano. It's becoming MotoGP's eighth different winner in eight races.
Valentino Rossi got past polesitter Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) at 2 laps, to lead by 1.25 seconds. Dani Pedrosa moved up from eighth and passed race leader Valentino Rossi at 7 laps remaining. Rossi tried to catch Pedrosa again, but Pedrosa was untouchable on the run home.
Jorge Lorenzo eventually crossed the line in third, 1.522s behind Rossi, while Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) faded to finish fourth, 9.569s adrift of his team-mate.
Maverick Vinales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was fifth, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) finished sixth.
The race result marks Marquez still leads the championship, though, by 43 points over Rossi and 61 over Lorenzo with five races remaining.
After the race Dani Pedrosa said,
"I just tried to focus on my rhythm. I didn't have many options in the beginning, but once I was fourth I was on my own and i wasn't really losing or recovering. I knew I could do a good race but little by little I could see I could start to catch. I didn't think about the victory until 10 laps to go…I wasn't thinking about the win, but then I realized I could catch Valentino. Once I got my rhythm with Marc and Jorge I knew that if I wanted to go with Valentino, I had to pass. I was worried at the start of the race because I'd never used this tyre in the hot conditions - only in the morning. But my feeling was good. On the start grid I was a bit nervous knowing I was the only one of us with that tyre choice but once I started I knew it was better for me.
It's been hard and it's super to give my fans, team and family and friends something back for their support. I didn't enjoy some races recently, but this one I really did. We need to keep focused for the next race - we've seen that every one can be different. We need to keep our feet on the ground!"
Valentino Rossi said,
"I think it was a good weekend and we worked well on the bike. We were able to improve and we made the right tyre choice for the race. It was a good start and I got in front and pushed at the maximum - it wasn't easy. I had the pace to stay there but not to escape. It was difficult and demanding physically. I could do great pace and stay around one second ahead and control that pace, and lap by lap I was more and more positive about the end, but after Pedrosa arrived…he was just faster. I tried to resist but he arrived with seven laps to go. I tried to make a lap behind him at the maximum but it wasn't my pace; he was too strong. But it was a great race and a very good weekend. Other than just the championship, it's always great to beat Marc - because you know if you have, you've done a very good job."
Jorge Lorenzo said,
"Today was Dani's day and he had everything perfect. He rode unbelievably. He really deserved this victory because he's fought a lot during this period and it's been a tough time. I tried all race to close the gap but today wasn't my day. They were faster and I just have to accept it. In some corners I had some trouble but by the end the bike was working quite well. The hard tyre wasn't for us, the medium was good but the soft we don't know because we didn't try it. Maybe we could have done in Warm Up. Valentino was so consistent and I just needed one or two tenths more - so I can't be very happy but I can't be really disappointed because I'm on the podium and I did my best today."
GP TIM DI SAN MARINO E DELLA RIVIERA DI RIMINI MotoGP Race Results:- Dani Pedrosa / Repsol Honda Team / 43'43.524s
- Valentino Rossi / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP / 43'46.361s
- Jorge Lorenzo / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP / 43'47.883s
- Marc Marquez / Repsol Honda Team / 43'53.093s
- Maverick Viñales / Team Suzuki Ecstar / 43'58.991s
- Andrea Dovizioso / Ducati Team / 44'3.200s
- Michele Pirro / Ducati Team / 44'6.460s
- Cal Crutchlow / LCR Honda / 44'9.226s
- Pol Espargaro / Monster Yamaha Tech 3 / 4'10.679s
- Alvaro Bautista / Factory Aprilia Gresini / 44'17.492s
- Danilo Petrucci / Octo Pramac Yakhnich / 44'22.730s
- Stefan Bradl / Factory Aprilia Gresini / 44'23.491s
- Hector Barbera / Avintia Racing / 44'26.521s
- Eugene Laverty / Aspar MotoGP Team / 44'32.974s
- Scott Redding / Octo Pramac Yakhnich / 44'38.403s
- Yonny Hernandez / Aspar MotoGP Team / 44'48.596s
- Tito Rabat / Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS / 5 laps
- source : MotoGP
