Sensational Sachsenring

Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have crossed the line just 0.090s apart, front wheels raised in a dramatic end to the Sachsenring grand prix. After a moment from Stoner dropped him to fourth just a few laps from home, the two Yamaha riders extended their leads at the top of the Riders standings. Dani Pedrosa’s resurgent third place came in a race that saw his Repsol teammate Andrea Dovizioso retire with tyre damage.

Starting from fourth, Nicky Hayden had his best start for Ducati, and very nearly led into turn one, sadly running wide and dropping back to 14^th. Meanwhile, Alex De Angelis, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo went three wide into the first turn, with De Angelis and Stoner making contact before they settled into place.  The trio settled in behind Randy De Puniet in third, Pedrosa in second and Rossi in the lead, but the race had far from settled. On the change of direction Randy De Puniet made his once customary but recently rare acquaintance with the asphalt. His Honda breaking left before launching him over the bars directly in front of Stoner.

Lap two was equally dramatic with Hayden making his climb back to the middle of the top right around the outside of Mika Kallio and Loris Capirossi through the sequence of long left handers.

Stoner two recovered from his balked run at Pedrosa, finally diving through on lap five. Clearly the quicker of the front runners, Stoner made quick ground on Rossi, sliding into the lead with 24 to go.

By lap eight, Lorenzo had joined the fight for the lead, and looked ominous has he targeted first Pedrosa, and then Rossi.

Stoner held his slender margin over the Yamahas until lap 16, allowing first the senior of the two and then Lorenzo by.

Lap 25 was a challenge for the directors as Dovizioso’s Honda retired with a badly torn front tyre, Lorenzo made his way past Rossi for the lead, and a major moment for Stoner saw his Ducati slide from a comfortable third to a distant fourth position.

Rossi and Lorenzo were left free to battle from then on, and battle they did. The trio swapped positions through the final few laps, and when Lorenzo made his lunge into turn one on the final lap Spanish fans rejoiced. It wasn’t to be though and Rossi was able to switch back as Lorenzo ran the #99 machine wide.

Running out of the final turn both riders drove hard on the throttle, the two Yamahas crossing the line alongside each other with their front wheels raised with effort and a little bit of showboating.

Rossi from Lorenzo Pedrosa and Stoner, extended those gaps in the championship, while Alex De Angelis in fifth, Tony Elias in sixth and Marco Melandri in seventh celebrated encouraging results.

Rossi now leads Lorenzo by 12 points with Stoner 28 points off the lead.

www.jacobblack.com.au