MOTOGP
The race was declared wet by Race Direction despite a dry line appearing on the circuit – with only a few riders choosing soft slick tyres from the get-go, including world champion Jorge Lorenzo, his team-mate Nakasuga and Helmut Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP). But then the plot thickened again, with Pedrosa, Ducati Team’s Nicky Hayden, Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow and San Carlo Honda Gresini’s Álvaro Bautista all deciding to start from pit-lane after the sighting lap as they switched to bikes with slick tyres.
Stoner wasn’t of them, starting the race on wets, a decision he would later lament as “taking the easy option”. When the race got underway it was frantic, with Power Electronics Aspar’s Aleix Espargaró leading the early exchanges. But it didn’t take long for Lorenzo to start asserting his authority as a number of riders who started on wets came into the pits, including Stoner and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Andrea Dovizioso. Bradl was the first of the big names to depart after crashing on lap eight, while Crutchlow was ahead of Nakasuga not long after.
Stoner was well back, behind a number of CRT machines, at this juncture. The race then started to settle down and resemble a more conventional pecking order, before huge drama followed when Lorenzo was catapulted over the bars of his Yamaha with 17 laps to go after getting into trouble while trying to lap CRT rider James Ellison (Paul Bird Motorsport). It was only Lorenzo’s second DNF of the season, and in the other 16 races he was either first or second. Lorenzo’s demise left Pedrosa in the lead from Crutchlow, before the latter fell with seven laps to, leaving Nakasuga with a vice-like grip on second place – one he would not relinquish as he finished 37 seconds behind Pedrosa.
But Pedrosa wasn’t on easy street, either. “It was hard to keep doing the lap times when you see ‘plus 40 seconds’ on your pit board all the time,” Pedrosa said. “But finally it came right and I am very pleased for the team and all the fans. It’s been a good season.” Stoner, meanwhile, was closing in on third-paced Bautista at a rapid rate of knots, and he easily moved into third with three laps to run to sign off his MotoGP career with yet another podium – his 69th in the premier class and 89th in grand prix racing. “It’s a bit surreal at the moment, as it’s been a disappointing weekend. I like this track but we had one dry session and it’s been difficult to live with, said Stoner
