Repsol rider completes impeccable race with breathtaking final lap display, winning out in battle with Lorenzo. This was his third win of 2012 and his second in sucesision.
Dani Pedrosa had a race to remember at the Czech Republic Grand Prix. In a thrilling duel with championship leader Jorge Lorenzo, Pedrosa took his third win of the season with a frenetic last lap, in which two overtaking moves decided the contest. The Repsol rider held on to claim victory at Brno and move to just 13 points off the lead in the overall standings.
Starting from third on the grid, Pedrosa gained a place at the start and slotted behind current series leader, Jorge Lorenzo. Both were protagonists in a speedy start, continually breaking the circuit record as they looked to match one another. At the midway point, Pedrosa moved past Lorenzo on the brakes before the final chicane and took the lead.
The dynamic of the race remained the same, with both riders on the limit. The show reached its peak on the last lap, in which Lorenzo used the agility of his Yamaha on the smooth corners to get back in front of the Repsol rider, who responded with a repeat of his earlier move on the brakes. He slipped through on the inside and hit the brakes at the last moment, running Lorenzo wide in his attempt to hold the position. Covering any attack on the final corner, Pedrosa accelerated on the straight to take his third win of the season —and his second in the space of a week.
This was Pedrosa’s first MotoGP win at Brno, where he had already triumphed in 125cc and 250cc. He reaches eight consecutive races with podium finishes —eleven from his last twelve. The Spaniard now holds 232 points in the standings, 13 behind Lorenzo and with 150 still up for grabs.
Dani Pedrosa >> Audio
1st – 42:51.570
“Today was one of my best races in MotoGP ever, to win with a big gap is always nice, but to have a battle like today with Jorge, it’s sometimes more rewarding. It was a difficult last lap because I knew that Jorge was very fast in the middle of the corner and I could hear the bike right on me and I knew that just the smallest gap would allow him to pass. In fact, in that left corner I opened the door just a little more than normal and ‘boom’ he was there, I could see his bike in my face! With just half a lap to go, I was a little more nervous than before but I knew I had some strong points coming to the end of the lap. I tried to get the best drive out of the hill and then in the last corner I was beside him, when I released the brakes we were side by side in the corner and I was able to take my line and win the race. It was amazing and I’m really happy with this victory, for all my team and also for my father because it is his birthday! For the Championship we must keep up this momentum as Jorge is riding very strong and consistently in the top two. Testing will be important to set us up for the final part of the season, so let’s see what we can do”.
