Casey Stoner (Ducati) dominated practice and qualifying at Valencia, then fell victim to cold tires on the warm-up lap, opening the way for Dani Pedrosa (Honda) to win MotoGP's meaningless season finale, as all championships were decided when the green light came on, in front of his home crowd at Valencia.
Pedrosa made his usual perfect start from the second slot of the grid and immediately opened a gap over the rest of the field, led by Toni Elias (Honda), soon to be overtaken by the Yamahas of Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.
Within four laps Pedrosa had already put in a 2.4 seconds lead over Rossi, while Lorenzo did not seem to be able to maintain the pace, and finished third, one second behind Team Leader Rossi. Or was it a tactic to hide his technique and watch Rossi’s in preparation for 2010?
Colin Edwards (Tech 3 Yamaha) had a fine race, finishing fourth ahead of Nicky Hayden's Ducati.
The 2009 WSBK champion Ben Spies made quite an impression in his fourth MotoGP race – his first for Yamaha, with a brilliant seventh place finish, turning his fastest lap of the race on the very last lap.
With Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner and three Americans on good bikes, 2010 will be spectacular!
MotoGP Valencia Results
Pos Rider Team Gap
1. Dani Pedrosa Honda 46m47.553s
2. Valentino Rossi Yamaha + 2.630s
3. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha + 2.913s
4. Colin Edwards Yamaha + 32.515s
5. Nicky Hayden Ducati + 34.585s
6. Toni Elias Honda + 34.888s
7. Ben Spies Yamaha + 37.706s
8.Etc….
MotoGP Final Standings after 17 races
Pos. Rider Points
1. Valentino Rossi 306
2. Jorge Lorenzo 261
3. Dani Pedrosa 234
4. Casey Stoner 220
5. Colin Edwards 161
World Superbike champion Ben Spies admitted after the race that he was surprised - impressed even – with his seventh place finish in his first race aboard a Factory Yamaha M1.
The American admitted that he could have done better in the early laps, and felt that his lack of race experience on the special Bridgestone MotoGP-spec tires played a part in him dropping back outside the top ten in the first laps.
"I felt kind of a rookie for the first four or five laps,” says Spies. "But as the race settled in I was able to slowly get by some people and then set a good pace."
Not only did Spies fight his way back, but by overtaking Honda's Andrea Dovizioso for seventh, he also ensured that his 2010 Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards took fifth in the world championship – just ahead of Dovi.
Edwards commented after the race: “I don’t know him well, but I know I love him”. We will see if Edwards changes his tune next year, if and when Spies beats him!
photo:Honda
Pedrosa made his usual perfect start from the second slot of the grid and immediately opened a gap over the rest of the field, led by Toni Elias (Honda), soon to be overtaken by the Yamahas of Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.
Within four laps Pedrosa had already put in a 2.4 seconds lead over Rossi, while Lorenzo did not seem to be able to maintain the pace, and finished third, one second behind Team Leader Rossi. Or was it a tactic to hide his technique and watch Rossi’s in preparation for 2010?
Colin Edwards (Tech 3 Yamaha) had a fine race, finishing fourth ahead of Nicky Hayden's Ducati.
The 2009 WSBK champion Ben Spies made quite an impression in his fourth MotoGP race – his first for Yamaha, with a brilliant seventh place finish, turning his fastest lap of the race on the very last lap.
With Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner and three Americans on good bikes, 2010 will be spectacular!
MotoGP Valencia Results
Pos Rider Team Gap
1. Dani Pedrosa Honda 46m47.553s
2. Valentino Rossi Yamaha + 2.630s
3. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha + 2.913s
4. Colin Edwards Yamaha + 32.515s
5. Nicky Hayden Ducati + 34.585s
6. Toni Elias Honda + 34.888s
7. Ben Spies Yamaha + 37.706s
8.Etc….
MotoGP Final Standings after 17 races
Pos. Rider Points
1. Valentino Rossi 306
2. Jorge Lorenzo 261
3. Dani Pedrosa 234
4. Casey Stoner 220
5. Colin Edwards 161
World Superbike champion Ben Spies admitted after the race that he was surprised - impressed even – with his seventh place finish in his first race aboard a Factory Yamaha M1.
The American admitted that he could have done better in the early laps, and felt that his lack of race experience on the special Bridgestone MotoGP-spec tires played a part in him dropping back outside the top ten in the first laps.
"I felt kind of a rookie for the first four or five laps,” says Spies. "But as the race settled in I was able to slowly get by some people and then set a good pace."
Not only did Spies fight his way back, but by overtaking Honda's Andrea Dovizioso for seventh, he also ensured that his 2010 Tech 3 Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards took fifth in the world championship – just ahead of Dovi.
Edwards commented after the race: “I don’t know him well, but I know I love him”. We will see if Edwards changes his tune next year, if and when Spies beats him!
photo:Honda