Lorenzo takes the lead as Rossi bounces back

Spain’s 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo won the French MotoGP in Le Mans yesterday and took the overall lead in the championship in front of an astonishing crowd of over 80,000 who braved the heavy rain.

The 25-year-old Yamaha rider, recording his second win of the season and 19th MotoGP in all, came home clear of Italian great Valentino Rossi on a Ducati while defending world champion Casey Stoner was third on a Honda.

For 33-year-old Rossi it was only his second podium finish in two years and could not have come at a better time as Stoner is due to retire at the end of the year and the Italian suggested he would be interested in the ride.

“The race went extremely well for me,” said Lorenzo, who will take his lead to his home Grand Prix in Barcelona in a fortnight.

“I got a lead and though Casey closed on me he suddenly dropped off and I was able to relax and coast home. I admit my only problem was to keep my concentration alone up front.”

Rossi, a seven-time 500cc/ MotoGP champion, was delighted with his result which came in front of an admiring seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher.

“I would like to only race when it rains,” grinned the rider known as ‘The Doctor’.

“It was very important to stay calm in these wet conditions and even when I had a problem with my visor and had to drop back a bit, I kept my composure.

“I got back into a good rhythm and then got involved in a really good battle with Casey which was like old times.

“This is an important result for us.”

Lorenzo made a great start and quickly established a four-second lead over Stoner while the latter’s team-mate and pole sitter Dani Pedrosa’s hopes of winning his first ever French Grand Prix quickly disappeared as he slipped to sixth.

It was Rossi and Cal Crutchlow who made the most progress to move into third but Lorenzo was making no mistake up front as he hammered home his advantage and with eight laps remaining he was over six seconds ahead.

Stoner eased up acknowledging that Lorenzo had the race in the bag, but Rossi had not given up hope of taking second and reduced the Australian’s lead to two seconds with six laps remaining.

With four laps to go the charismatic Italian was right on Stoner’s shoulder while disaster struck Andrea Dovizioso as he, like Crutchlow, went into the gravel, restarted but came back on in seventh spot.

Rossi’s thrilling duel with Stoner came to a head entering the final lap when he feinted one way and then went the other to pass the Australian and fended him off for the remainder of the lap.

Standings

(after four races)
1. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 90 points, 2. Stoner (Honda) 82, 3. Pedrosa (Honda) 65, 4. Crutchlow (Yamaha) 45, 5. Dovizioso (Yamaha) 44, 6. Rossi (Ducati) 42, 7. Bradl (Honda) 35, 8. Bautista (Honda) 35, 9. Hayden (Ducati) 33, 10. Barbera (Ducati) 26, 11. Spies (Yamaha) 18, 12. Espargaro (Aprilia) 12.

Next race
Catalunya MotoGP, June 3.