Czech GP: Series race report

Lorenzo adds Brno to MotoGP win list

Jorge Lorenzo's phenomenal 2010 form continued at the Cardion ab Grand Prix Czech Republic on Sunday where the Fiat Yamaha rider won his seventh race of the season. A front row start was converted into another 25 points by the Spaniard, who maintained his record of having finished inside the top two in every race so far.

The sun was shining in stark contrast to the fears of poor weather that had preceded the race as just over 148,000 enthusiastic fans packed out the Brno circuit, and Lorenzo engaged in an early battle with rival Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) -- who started from pole position -- for the lead.

There were two early fallers as Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) and Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) went down inside the opening three laps, the latter managing to avoid collisions with a number of oncoming bikes while stranded in the middle of the track coming out of turn nine. The Italian rejoined the back of the race but was forced to retire shortly after.

Lorenzo and Pedrosa exchanged the fastest lap time in the preliminary stages of the race as they set the pace but the Championship leader slowly began to pull away, the pair well ahead of Casey Stoner (Ducati Team) in third place. Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) was another victim of misfortune when his difficulties continued as he crashed out.

The riders became more separated as the race reached its finale, and Lorenzo cruised across the line 5.494s ahead of Pedrosa to extend his Championship lead over his fellow Spaniard to 77 points. The Repsol Honda rider was followed onto the podium by Stoner, who finished third at almost six seconds back and moved into third in the Championship ahead of Dovizioso.

Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) placed fourth from his first MotoGP front row grid position having made an impressive start, with Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha) fifth at just over four seconds off the rookie. American duo Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) and Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) were sixth and seventh respectively, with Marco Melandri (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team), Hector Barbera (Paginas Amarillas Aspar) and the returning Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) completing the top ten.

A frustrating weekend was finalised for Alvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) as the rookie slid out on the last corner of the final lap, having just passed Marco Simoncelli (San Carlo Honda Gresini Team) who took 11th.

-source: motogp