June 10 : Dani Destroys Opposition To Close Title Gap

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) was in a class of his own in Barcelona winning by 2.8 seconds from Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) second and Casey Stoner (Ducati) who was third. His margin of victory, however, understates the crushing nature of this triumph on home soil.
 

The Spanish sensation has now won here on a 125cc machine, a 250 and now in MotoGP. He’s also wrapped up wins in two of the three Spanish races this year and remains Honda’s most reliable points finisher this season – he’s never been out of the top four in seven races now.

Pedrosa scorched off the line and led the pack into turn one, Stoner behind him and the lightning-starting Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Scot Honda RC212V) now running third from seventh on the grid. When Stoner ran wide on lap one Dovi pounced on second place. He was in peak form and the ace rookie would eventually finish fourth.

By lap two Dani’s lead was a staggering 0.7 seconds as he headed Dovi, Stoner, Colin Edwards (Yamaha), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V) and Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V). Rossi lay eighth at this point but he was on the move.

Dani fired in a fastest lap on the third tour of this 4.727km Montmelo track. His 1m 42.617s time an early indicator that he was the man to beat. By the time lap four rolled around he was a full three seconds ahead of Stoner who had regained second spot. Barring error or disaster Pedrosa was unstoppable.

Rossi had moved up to fourth by lap seven of this 25-lap affair and Dovi had retaken Stoner for second at precisely the same point on track the Aussie World Champion had made the mistake on lap one. Dani was blissfully unaware of all this, now more than five seconds clear of his rivals.

Dovi was slipping slightly off the pace now on lap eight and Rossi soon overhauled him for third, taking second off Stoner that same lap. Dovi would lose touch with the duo dicing for second but his mature ride to fourth signaled he will be a podium proposition in this class very shortly.

As mid-race distance approached Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) crashed out in an incident involving Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) too. The San Marinese man looked capable of a mid top-ten finish. De Puniet’s race would be cut short on the next lap when he crashed while defending sixth spot.

The Stoner/Rossi battle was the main event with Dani disappearing over the horizon, but down the order there were several spirited disputes for the points places and with just 13 riders remaining in the race after that rash of crashes, all places were worth points.

James Toseland (Yamaha) was working on Hayden for sixth and Stoner had shot past Rossi on the main straight to retake second on the brakes into turn one. Dovi held fourth ahead of Edwards and Dani was long gone, nearly nine seconds in front of the field.

The end of this race was in sight now with five laps to go and with Dani so far ahead, Rossi and Stoner locked in combat, and fiery disputes for sixth between Toseland and Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) and for eighth between Hayden and Shinya Nakano (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V), round seven of this 18-race series had everything.

Dani and Dovi had every reason to be delighted with their day’s work. Nicky remains shy of his best with an eighth place and Nakano, who finished ninth, made the top ten, but not the top six as he wished. The crashers, all uninjured, will nurse wounded pride and look forward to Donington Park in two weeks time.

The World Championship points table look like this: Rossi 142 points, Pedrosa 135, Lorenzo (who did not race after a heavy fall in practice) 94 and Stoner on 92 points.