Movistar Yamaha Press Release:
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo put on an incredible show today at Automotodrom Brno, keeping rival Marc Marquez at bay for 22 laps to cross the line with a convincing 4.462s gap. Teammate Valentino Rossi also put up a strong fight at the early stages of the race when he battled with Bradley Smith and Andrea Dovizioso to take the checkered flag in third place.
Lorenzo had a brilliant start, taking the holeshot from pole and immediately tried to break away with Marquez running closely behind him. After the opening lap the X-Fuera rider posted times in the low 1‘56s for the next eight laps. Riding faster than anyone on track, the pair created a gap to the group battling for third, but with 14 laps to go the Majorcan‘s pace proved to be too hot for his rival, and he managed to break away.
In his element, Lorenzo remained unthreatened for the remainder of the race and continued to manage the gap to Marquez perfectly, claiming a first victory in Brno for Yamaha since 2010 by a convincing length.
Starting the race from third on the grid, Rossi slotted into fifth place, but quickly fought his way back to the front, overtaking Smith for fourth, but he lost valuable time behind Dovizioso in their battle for third place. With Andrea Iannone looming in fifth, Rossi put extra pressure on the compatriot in front of him and made the pass stick at the end of the third lap.
The Doctor put his head down to close the over two second gap to the frontrunners, but was unable to claw back the lost ground. Riding a lonely race, he focused on holding off his trailing rivals and crossed the line in third place, 10.397 seconds from the front, to make it his eleventh consecutive podium of the season.
Today‘s race results have Lorenzo take over the lead from Rossi in the championship as the pair are on equal points, each having earned a total of 211 points so far, but Lorenzo having two more GP wins this season.
The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team will remain in Brno for a one-day tire test tomorrow.
JORGE LORENZO #99:
I didn‘t need to push at the end, so this was not a perfect race, because I could have been a little bit faster. I had a margin, not enough to be comfortable but enough to risk less. I pushed so much at the beginning of the race and I gave my maximum to escape from Marc, who stayed behind me for a lot of laps. I expected the race to be a little bit quicker at the beginning and to be riding 1‘55,9, but with a full fuel tank, and also after the Moto2 the track seemed to have a little less grip, it was not possible. Luckily for me after a few laps I started to brake better with less fuel in the tank and enter corners faster than before. I improved my times only by one tenth of a second, but it gave me a 0,6s advantage in one lap and that went up to one second and I was able to get away little by little and win the race.
VALENTINO ROSSI #46:
This weekend Jorge always rode very fast, but at the same time I had hoped to be closer and that I was able to stay with Marc, because during the practices my pace was not so bad. Unfortunately I wasn‘t fast and strong enough and also my rhythm was quite slow. It‘s true that I had a bad start and lost time, but that was not the problem, I simply didn‘t have a good enough rhythm and that‘s a shame. I expected Brno to be difficult, because it had been difficult for the last few years, but I expected a better race, so we have to understand why and try to be stronger at the next races. It‘s unbelievable that after eleven races Jorge and I are on the same level of points. It‘s difficult, because it looks like Jorge came back very strong after the break and he is in a great shape, but we will have to keep trying.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI - TEAM DIRECTOR:
An incredible ride by Jorge again today, he continues to prove that in the right conditions he is untouchable and he thoroughly deserves this victory. He‘s been on phenomenal form all weekend, so we expected nothing less from him. Valentino also rode a very strong race today after a fantastic qualifying yesterday. He didn‘t have the best start, but in his usual form was determined to make up lost ground and finish on the podium yet again. I have to thank the entire team who have all worked extremely hard this weekend to make these results possible. Now we will test tomorrow before we head to the UK in two weeks where we fully intend to continue our domination of the podium.
GRAND PRIX OF CZECH REPUBLIC - RACE RESULTS:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 42'53.042
2. Marc Marquez (SPA) Repsol Honda Team + 4.462
** 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP + 10.397**
4. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ducati Team + 13.071
5. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team + 15.650
6. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati Team + 15.725
7. Bradley Smith (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech3 + 21.821
8. Pol Espargarò (SPA) Monster Yamaha Tech3 + 23.240
9. Aleix Espargarò (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar + 43.784
10. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Octo Pramac Racing + 45.261
11. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Octo Pramac Racing + 49.973
12. Scott Redding (GBR) Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS + 50.174
13. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini + 54.437
14. Stefan Bradl (GER) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini + 54.624
15. Loris Baz (FRA) Forward Racing + 1'00.316
16. Hector Barbera (SPA) Avintia Racing + 1'01.595
17. Nicky Hayden (USA) Aspar MotoGP Team + 1'02.388
18. Mike Di Meglio (FRA) Avintia Racing + 1'05.944
19. Jack Miller (AUS) CWM LCR Honda + 1'11.407
20. Claudio Corti (ITA) Forward Racing + 1'50.033
21. Karel Abraham (CZE) AB Motoracing + 2'02.655
22. Maverick Viñales (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar N.C. (7 laps)
23. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) CWM LCR Honda N.C. (8 laps)
24. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aspar MotoGP Team N.C. (18 laps)
25. Alex De Angelis (RSM) E-Motion IodaRacing Team N.C. (19 laps)
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATION RIDER:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 211
** 2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 211**
3. Marc Marquez (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 159
4. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ducati Team 142
5. Bradley Smith (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech3 106
6. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati Team 104
7. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 91
8. Pol Espargarò (SPA) Monster Yamaha Tech3 81
9. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) CWM LCR Honda 74
10. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Octo Pramac Racing 63
11. Maverick Viñales (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 62
12. Aleix Espargarò (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 53
13. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Octo Pramac Racing 41
14. Scott Redding (GBR) Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 37
15. Hector Barbera (SPA) Avintia Racing 20
16. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 16
17. Loris Baz (FRA) Forward Racing 15
18. Jack Miller (AUS) CWM LCR Honda 12
19. Stefan Bradl (GER) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 11
20. Nicky Hayden (USA) Aspar MotoGP Team 8
21. Michele Pirro (ITA) Ducati Team 8
22. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aspar MotoGP Team 7
23. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) Repsol Honda Team 5
24. Mike Di Meglio (FRA) Avintia Racing 2
25. Alex De Angelis (RSM) E-Motion IodaRacing Team 1
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATION CONSTRUCTOR:
1. Yamaha 252
2. Honda 204
3. Ducati 167
4. Suzuki 82
5. Forward Yamaha 20
6. Aprilia 16
7. ART 1
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATION TEAM:
1. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 422
2. Repsol Honda Team 255
3. Ducati Team 246
4. Monster Yamaha Tech3 187
5. Team Suzuki Ecstar 115
6. Octo Pramac Racing 104
7. CWM LCR Honda 86
8. Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 37
9. Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 27
10. Avintia Racing 22
11. Aspar MotoGP Team 15
12. Forward Racing 15
13. Ducati Team 8
14. E-Motion IodaRacing Team 1
For more information: www.yamahamotogp.com