MotoGP: The Doctor was out. Dovizioso, Edwards, and De Puniet were in.

Tyler Hopper
AllAboutBikes.com Staff Writer

The final MotoGP visit to Donington Park ended with a first ever premier class victory by Andrea Dovizioso and first podium finishes in 2009 for Colin Edwards and Randy de Puniet.  The Doctor, Valentino Rossi, experienced a fall at the Fogarty Esses with 11 laps to go.  Rossi was unable to add another victory to his laundry list of wins at Donington.

Early on into the race, volatility and indecision plagued the riders.   As rain began to fall, the riders were left guessing whether or not they made the right tire choice.  Toni Elias led for lap one, but Jorge Lorenzo grasped the lead, possibly as a result of being talked out of running wet tires, but took a fall when he graced a greasy rumble strip and couldn’t restart the Yamaha M1.  Elias succumbed to the same fate as Lorenzo, taking a fall in the same spot on lap 7.

Ducati Marlboro team riders Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner were the only two contenders to ride with full wet tires. The lack of heavy precipitation and the strength of Bridgestone’s dry tire doomed the two to become immediately off pace. The Ducati Marlboro Team got lapped around the halfway point of the race; that is one instance where the two might have been praying for rain, well, more rain anyway.

With eleven laps left, Rossi took a fall while battling with Dovizioso.  Nearly four laps later, a few riders chose to change machines, but the decision cost more time than they were able to make up. 

Edwards and De Puniet finished within 1.6 seconds of Dovizioso.  Crossing the line in fourth, De Angelis finished 13 seconds ahead of The Doctor, who crossed the line a whole twenty-one seconds behind the leader.