Dani Pedrosa took his first win of the season today, beating out Jorge Lorenzo around the Estoril track. Pedrosa won the Portugal GP by more than three seconds, ending Lorenzo’s streak of three consecutive wins.
Pedrosa may have won the race by three seconds, but he didn’t lead until the closing laps. Pedrosa was biding his team behind Lorenzo until there were three laps to go. Then the Repsol Honda rider kicked up the speed, leaving the Yamaha rider in his dust.
Pedrosa’s victory brings him within 4 points of the season leader, and ended Lorenzo’s streak of three consecutive race wins from the pole position at Estoril.
In third place came Pedrosa’s Repsol Honda teammate Casey Stoner. Stoner finished 7 seconds behind his teammate, but more than 9 seconds behind the fourth place finisher, his teammate Andrea Dovizioso.
Dovizioso’s fourth place finish wasn’t an easy one, however. Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi put on a show as they battled for the fourth spot, which Rossi lost by .02 seconds. Rossi’s fifth place finish is a career worst at the Estoril track.
Marco Simoncelli, who had been one of the fastest riders all weekend and who started from the front row, crashed out on the opening lap. Ben Spies, Hector Barbera, and Karel Abraham also ended the race on the pavement.
MotoGP Race Results - Estoril
- Pedrosa
- Lorenzo
- Stoner
- Dovizioso
- Rossi
- Edwards
- Aoyama
- Crutchlow
- Hayden
- De Puniet
MotoGP Standings
- Lorenzo - 65
- Pedrosa - 61
- Stoner - 41
- Rossi - 31
- Hayden - 30
- Dovizioso - 30
- Aoyama - 28
- Crutchlow - 21
- Edwards - 18
- Barbera - 14
The MotoGP riders will stay at Estoril for a testing session on Monday, before heading off to Le Mans for the fourth round of the MotoGP.
