Spain’s Dani Pedrosa claimed the 50th Grand Prix win of his career yesterday, taking victory in the Japanese MotoGP as runner-up Valentino Rossi extended his lead in the championship standings.
Pedrosa, who almost quit the sport earlier this year because of an arm problem that needed surgery, grabbed the lead seven laps from the end of a wet race at the Twin Ring circuit in Motegi.
He surged clear of his rivals to win for the first time this season and the 50th of his career, which began in the 125cc class in 2001.
Rossi finished second while his Yamaha team-mate and championship rival Jorge Lorenzo faded to third after leading due to tyre problems.
Rossi now leads Lorenzo by 18 points in the standings with a maximum of 75 available from the remaining three rounds, in Australia, Malaysia and Valencia.
“It was a very long race. It was very easy to make a mistake,” Rossi said.
“At this moment I need to take points. After Jorge left, our pace was the same. When it got dry it was difficult to control the bike and I saw Jorge slowing.
“It’s a good result for the championship.”
Pedrosa had not won a MotoGP race since the Czech Grand Prix in August 2014 and missed three of the season’s first four races due to the arm surgery.
The 30-year-old has suffered from a problem common among motorcycle racers when pressure builds up in the forearm and causes intense pain, making riding a bike difficult when the muscle becomes too big for the ‘sack’ that it sits in.
The race was delayed by heavy morning rain in Japan which forced organisers to shorten the Moto2 and Moto3 races but Pedrosa was all smiles at the end of a long day.
“It was not like I expected. At the beginning I had no good feeling with the rear and couldn’t go fast,” he said.
“I kept my rhythm while the others burned their tyre. At the end my pace was faster and I’m really happy.”
Meanwhile, Johann Zarco celebrated his first Moto2 title by winning his seventh race of the season.
The Frenchman was already assured of winning the champion-ship when Tito Rabat, the only other rider with any mathematical chance of overtaking him, withdrew from Motegi on Friday because of injury.
The race was cut to 15 laps because of the foul weather.
Italy’s Niccolo Antonelli won the Moto3 race, which was reduced from 20 to 13 laps, while Britain’s Danny Kent extended his championship lead to 56 points.
Top 10 riders
1. Rossi (Italy) Yamaha - 283
2. Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha - 265
3. Marquez (Spain) Honda - 197
4. Iannone (Italy) Ducati - 172
5. Pedrosa (Spain) Honda - 154
6. Smith (Britain) Yamaha - 152
7. Dovizioso (Italy) Ducati - 150
8. Crutchlow (Britain) Honda - 98
9. Petrucci (Italy) Ducati - 93
10. P. Espargaro (Spain) Yamaha - 88