Jorge Lorenzo Tops Dani Pedrosa In Last-Lap Classickk

Spanish Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo (R) is followed by his countryman Dani Pedrosa (L) of Honda team at the Jerez race track in Jerez de la Frontera, southern Spain, on 02 May 2010. Lorenzo won the race and his countryman Dani Pedrosa of the Honda team was second and Italian Valentino Rossi, of Yamaha, placed third.

As the midway point of the race approached Pedrosa was leading well at a second-and-a-half ahead of Rossi, with Lorenzo a further two seconds back. The fight for seventh place was a close one, with San Carlo Honda Gresini teammates Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli battling one another amongst a group of five riders.

At the same time Lorenzo was closing the gap on Rossi and on lap 21 passed his teammate, and turned his focus to hunting down Pedrosa. From there a superb duel developed between the two Spaniards.

With two laps to go Lorenzo caught up with the factory Honda rider and made his move to pass, but Pedrosa held his line and the two almost touched as the excitement continued to increase.

And so it came down to the last lap and as Pedrosa pushed it wide at the Dry Sack corner Lorenzo swept through to assume the lead, which he held to ensure he received his reward for a fantastic ride. Crossing the line the Fiat Yamaha rider was 0.543s ahead of Pedrosa, with Rossi placing third to complete the podium.

Completing the top five were Ducati Marlboro riders Nicky Hayden, who repeated his fourth spot from Qatar, and Casey Stoner, with Andrea Dovizioso taking sixth place.

Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) completed an impressive rise from last place on the grid to take seventh, with Melandri, Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) also placing inside the top ten.

Dani Pedrosa Goes Up

Spanish MotoGP pilot Dani Pedrosa of the Honda team speeds up his bike during the free practice session held at the Jerez race track in Jerez de la Frontera, southern Spain, on 30 April 2010 ahead of the Spanish motorcycling Grand Prix race to be held in Jerez on 02 May 2010.

Dani Pedrosa returned to his pre-2010 position as Honda's top rider during Friday free practice for his home Spanish Grand Prix.

The #26, who faded from first to seventh in the Qatar season-opener, benefitted from some a new stiffer chassis - designed to counter the stability problems he has been battling - on his way to a competitive fourth place.

“We tried a new chassis today and there is an improvement in some areas which meant we could finish the session not too far from the front,” said Pedrosa, who was within half a second of fastest rider Casey Stoner (Ducati).

“There seemed to be a lack of grip today though and we need to look at the data and work out if the problem is our set-up or just the condition of the track. We haven't found all the solutions we're looking for with the new parts on the bike yet, so we need to work hard in tomorrow's two sessions and try to qualify well.

“Every race is important of course, but because this is my home race I really want to do well on Sunday,” added Pedrosa, who won the 2008 Spanish MotoGP and was second to Valentino Rossi last year.