Double Podium for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP at Motorland Arago`n
. By Bikeland Staff
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi gave a spectacular show to the Spanish fans today at the Gran Premio Movistar de Aragón, securing second and third place respectively, their fourth double Yamaha podium of the season, after an epic fight at the Motorland Aragón circuit.
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GRAND PRIX OF ARAGÓN
Motorland Aragón - Alcañiz (Spain), 25th September 2016
RACE
14:00 LOCAL TIME GMT+2 AIR 22°C / TRACK 36°C SUNNY / HUMIDITY 58%
Rider
2nd
JORGE LORENZO
+2.740 / 23 LAPS
Rider
3rd
VALENTINO ROSSI
+5.983 / 23 LAPS
Alcañiz (Spain), 25th September 2016
Today‘s Gran Premio Movistar de Aragón proved to be the most action-filled race of the season so far, as Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo fought off his rivals to secure a hard-fought second place. Teammate Valentino Rossi also used his YZR-M1 to the fullest to fend off the competition and secured the fourth double podium of the season for the Factory Yamaha team.
Lorenzo didn‘t let a crash in warm-up this morning hold him back in today‘s race. The local hero had a brilliant start from third on the grid and fought for the holeshot with Marc Marquez. Maverick Viñales soon joined the fight for the front, beginning a Spanish duel that had the race fans on the edge of their seats. A flurry of activity followed that saw Lorenzo finish the first lap in third position, closely followed by his teammate. A mistake by Marquez two laps later made Lorenzo storm to second place and he continued to claw his way to Viñales, but he had to let his teammate past.
The top three riders briefly formed a leading group as they upped their pace, dropping low 1‘49s laps. However, Marquez was closing in and with 17 laps remaining he found a way past Lorenzo, but the Mallorcan wasn‘t fazed. He made his experience count and waited for the right moment to fight his way back to the front, which came with 14 laps to go when he didn‘t need a second invitation to pass Viñales after the compatriot had gone wide.
Lorenzo cleverly continued his race in such a way that he still had enough rubber left on his Michelins to make a final charge five laps before the end of the race to smoothly take over second place. He was consistently stalked by Rossi, but he didn‘t let it shake his confidence and held off the Italian‘s attack to take second place over the line, 2.740s from first.
Teammate Rossi had a good start from his sixth place grid position and slotted into fourth place after turn 1, determined not to let the leading group out of his sight. With 21 laps to go, Marquez dropped back to fifth, allowing Rossi to take hold of a podium finish for the first time in the race, fuelling his ambitions even further. He hunted down his teammate and bided his time to make a move with 18 laps left, to close the gap to the race leader. He was the first rider to drop into the 1‘48s as he reeled in Viñales and went on to take the lead of the race after a block pass in turn 4 with 15 laps to go.
The Doctor‘s pace proved too hot for the Spaniard, who went wide in turn 1 a lap later, allowing Rossi some breathing space before Marquez made his move with 12 laps to go. Rossi wasn‘t willing to let his rival go and put his head down, but he was unable to stick to the home rider and with five laps to go he put his attention towards his teammate, who pushed him back one place. The Doctor followed the fellow Yamaha rider like a shadow, but was unable to get past and took the chequered flag 5.983s behind the man in first place.
Lorenzo‘s superb race craft delivers him 20 points. He remains in third position, now just 14 points behind his teammate in second. Rossi‘s third place gives him a total of 196 points, now 52 points behind the championship leader.
The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP will next head to Japan in three weeks‘ time for the Grand Prix of Japan, the first of the three overseas races.