Moto GP: The Portuguese Grand Prix (Part 2)
The feature continues with action from lap 7 and onwards.
Simoncelli and Dovizioso were battling for 4th spot. The Respol Honda team rider, Pedrosa, was catching up to the LCR Honda of De Puniet in 6th. Perhaps it was safe to assume that it was one of those tracks, or conditions; that made
it exceedingly difficult to pull away – Things were tightening up, which contributed to an even more interesting race. We’re we in store for more drama in the remaining 20 laps.
Things were a lot ‘uncomplicated’ at the front. Rossi had managed to open up a 2 second lead. However, it could have been believed that perhaps Lorenzo was merely biding his time. It wasn’t a case of lack of performance, as the Spanish Fiat Yamaha rider
was quicker on the last lap.
Turning our attention to the battle just after the leading trio; Simoncelli, Dovizioso, Pedrosa and De Puniet were all bunched up in 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th. It was a rather big deal as the race had already gone
9 laps – Apparently, no one wanted to give up or give in. Pedrosa was still piling on the pressure on his team mate Dovizioso, as they began the next lap. Meanwhile, at the front, Rossi’s lead was down to 1.8 seconds.
With all the attention directed towards either the front duo or the bikes sitting in 4th till 7th positions, Hayden, effectively in 3rd, was having a rather lonely race. He was 2.5 seconds behind Lorenzo and 3.5 seconds ahead
of Simoncelli.
The battle at the head of the cue was a tantalizing affair. The two Fiat Yamaha riders were setting almost identical lap times – There really was no separating them; albeit the same machinery in question. The gap between the two was further chipped down
to 1.67 seconds.
With so many bikes in so tight starting from the 4th placed bike, the pressure was beginning to tell as Divizioso had a moment and lost 2 positions allowing Simoncelli and Pedrosa through.
Lorenzo was definitely a man on a mission as he further closed the gap on the race leader. He was around 0.5 seconds quicker than Rossi on lap 12. With less than half the race past, it looked like the crowd was in for another epic Rossi – Lorenzo battle!
The gap between the front two was just 0.8 seconds as Lorenzo set another fastest lap. However, with the atmosphere so charged up in the build up to a potential duel featuring the two Fiat Yamaha’s, the overall spirit of the competition was rather dented
as Carlos Checa retired from the race and drove back into the pits – A huge disappointment for the Spaniard, needless to say.
Returning to the Lorenzo – Rossi wars… the second placed Yamaha was right up with Rossi as the race headed to lap 15 – After the showdown in Sepang three weeks ago, it was safe to assume that Lorenzo was looking for some payback.
The events that conspired at lap 16 were perhaps the turning point of the race. Lorenzo went down on the inside of Rossi and took the lead on turn 1. The Italian Yamaha rider ran wide and lost some track position. Was it the tale of the season in a nutshell,
as Rossi once again came out second best? Or perhaps, Rossi could stage a comeback in the remaining 10 laps?
However, further signs of a potential ‘competition’ were looking bleak as Lorenzo looked the more determined of the two. He had already opened up a bit of a gap and was 0.7 seconds quicker at the end of the 17th lap.
The race was subjected to a lot of delay thanks to the rain, however, since lap 1, it had quickly grasped the attention of viewers all round. Having an ‘ensured’ race seemed to be a concept lost on the race so far. However, after reclaiming the lead, was
it naïve to believe that the points were finally in the bag for Lorenzo?
Stay tuned for the final part…
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