Monster Energy Grand Prix De France 2010
Jorge Lorenzo’s lead at the top of the MotoGP World Championship extended to nine points after the Spaniard won the third round at Le Mans, his second victory of the season. Team-mate Valentino Rossi and Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso were the other podium-clinchers. A superb start from Rossi from his pole position saw the Italian lead into the first turn ahead of Dani Pedrosa and Lorenzo, but the latter quickly moved into second and set his sights on his Fiat Yamaha team-mate. The early race order saw Ducati Marlboro pair Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner and Dovizioso inside the top five, whilst San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Marco Melandri shot up from 11th on the grid to sixth. In the 2nd lap, Stoner slid out at Turn 6, and suffered the second non-finish of the season. The fight for the win started on lap seven when Lorenzo took the lead from Rossi, only to see the Italian immediately reclaim it. Undeterred, Lorenzo pushed again on lap ten, this time making his move stick as he moved into first and began to open up an advantage. Repsol Honda’s Pedrosa and Dovizioso were tight in third and fourth, with Hayden refusing to lose touch in fifth as well. A nail-biting final lap saw Pedrosa lose-out massively, as he got passed first by his team-mate and then by Hayden.
The Gresini Racing Moto2 rider, Toni Elías moved to the top of the World Championship standings with his second
straight win of the season at Le Mans. Julián Simón and Simone Corsi completed the podium. Elías made a rapid start from seventh on the grid and took the early lead, but Alex Debón was soon in front. However, the Aeroport de Castelló-Ajo rider was penalised for a jump-start and had to take a ride through penalty as he lost first position. Elías soon started to stretch his lead as the race made its way towards the end, and by the penultimate lap his advantage over Simón was almost two seconds.
It was a similar story in the 125cc discipline – Pol Espargaró(Tuenti Racing) took his second straight victory. He edged out Nico Terol (Bancaja Aspar) for the victory and narrowing his rival’s lead at the top of the World Championship standings to two points. Terol led into the first turn after a storming start from his pole position, and Espargaró stuck on the Bancaja Aspar rider’s back wheel as the duo started to pull away after the early stages of the race. A marvellous battle for third then began to unfold as Bradley Smith (Bancaja Aspar), Márquez, Efrén Vázquez (Tuenti Racing), and Sandro Cortese (Avant Mitsubishi Ajo) all engaged in a thrilling encounter. Espargaró made his decisive move to secure the win on the last lap as he crossed the line ahead of Terol.
Lorenzo’s success made it three Yamaha wins in the opening three races of the season for the first time since 1980. Next race in the calendar is the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello. How would the Honda and Ducati fair in the coming races. Will the Yamaha domination continue for the rest of the season. Let’s wait and watch.
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