Pedrosa second in race he considered missing

“On Friday we considered whether it was worth racing here or better to pull out thinking about the operation. So this second place is amazing” – Dani Pedrosa.

Dani Pedrosa wasn't even sure if it was worth racing in his home Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.

It was a good job he did, since he finished in second place and is now also second in the world championship standings.

The reason for the uncertainty over the Repsol Honda rider's attendance was his long-suffering collarbone injury, which causes left-arm numbness and hadn't been cured by healing time over the winter.

After struggling with the arm on his way to third at round one in Qatar, Pedrosa underwent further medical tests that suggested removing the metal plate inserted into the collarbone after last October's practice crash a Motegi.

That operation is due to take place today (Monday).

Pedrosa had qualified second in the dry qualifying session at Jerez, but plummeted back to eleventh during the first lap of the wet race.

"At the start, many riders overtook me and I thought 'that's it'. Anyway, I knew there were 27 laps and the situation was difficult for the tyres,” said Pedrosa.

“I was a little nervous after my bad start, but when I realised that in the first lap I was faster than in the warm up, I calmed down and started to improve.

“I took a good pace and had to ride at maximum concentration in order not to not make any mistakes, it was very easy to crash. Some riders started falling down and it was a matter of resisting there.”

Pedrosa's progress was helped by accidents for Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner, then race leader Marco Simoncelli - the Gresini Honda rider's exit, on lap 12 of 27, putting Pedrosa into second behind Yamaha's world champion Jorge Lorenzo.

Pedrosa was initially 2.7sec behind the #1, but shrunk that gap to just 1.2sec within three laps.

That was as close as he got to victory as Pedrosa, like most riders, struggled more as the track started to dry, the grippier tarmac playing havoc with the soft rain tyres used by the entire grid.

“I tried to catch Lorenzo when I saw that his gap was about a second, but at 10 laps to go the tyres were almost finished; I couldn't even open the throttle on the straight because the track was very slippery,” revealed Pedrosa.
Pedrosa was hunted down and passed by Lorenzo's team-mate Ben Spies in the closing stages, but Spies then handed the runner-up spot back to Pedrosa when he crashed with less than three laps to go.

“When Spies crashed, my gap with Nicky [Hayden] was big enough to keep the second place and I crossed the finish line very very happy,” said Pedrosa.

“It's been a tough weekend for the arm injury, today I also had numbness and lack of strength, but to ride in wet has helped me because it's not as aggressive as in dry conditions.

“To leave Jerez with a second place finish, after the third place in Qatar, is amazing. We are nine points behind the championship leader [Lorenzo] and it's a good gap to resume the championship again in Estoril.

“On Friday we considered whether it was worth racing here or better to pull out thinking about the operation. So this second place is amazing.

“We've been doing great, but now comes the hard time, the surgery. Nobody likes to undergo surgery, but this time I almost wish for it because I want to end the pain and problems and start competing fully fit.”

Pedrosa, who continued his perfect record of Jerez podiums since his premier-class debut in 2006, will have until the end of this month to recover before free practice for the Portuguese MotoGP at Estoril.

Hayden keeps focus for Ducati podium

“Nicky was very good at handling a difficult situation… it would have been easy to throw it all away.”

Luck and judgement helped Nicky Hayden take Ducati's first podium of the season in Sunday's dramatic Spanish MotoGP at Jerez.

Hayden was lucky in the sense that, during the closing stages of the wet race, two riders dropped out of a podium position ahead of him - Ben Spies due to a crash, Colin Edwards after technical problems.

But the #69 still needed to use considerable skill and judgement to keep his sliding Desmosedici ahead of Honda's Hiroshi Aoyama.

Lap times were around eight seconds slower by the end of the race, such was the rate of tyre wear, and Hayden felt the loss of grip as much as most.

To make matter's worse for Hayden, Aoyama was the fastest rider on track (bar the lapped Andrea Dovizioso) during the last four laps, allowing him to close by several seconds a lap on Hayden.

Nicky responded just when he needed to by being the second faster rider after Aoyama on the final lap, which allowed the 2006 MotoGP champion to claim third place by less than half-a-second from the 2009 250cc world champion.

“That wasn't necessarily a pretty win because my last laps were so slow when the tyres were worn, but we're on the podium, and I'm pretty happy about it!” smiled Hayden, after his 28th MotoGP podium and third as a Ducati rider.

“In the beginning, our bike was really good because I had a lot of traction.

“After a while, it was all about focus, and there was no room for error. The track was changing every corner, because there was rain in some parts and no rain in other parts. Also, the tyres and the lines kept changing.

“It certainly hasn't been an easy start to the season, so we'll take success any way we can get it. Big thanks to the team. Hopefully we can try to build on this, and it will be the little shot in the arm to help get us going.

“I know Ducati's not sleeping. They've got some work to do, but I think our bike is better than we've been showing. We've just been missing a little bit, but I'm confident we can still recover and have a good season.”

“We're very happy because we got our first podium of the season with Nicky,” added team manager Vittoriano Guareschi. “Nicky was very good at handling a difficult situation over the last ten laps when the tyres were finished and it would have been easy to throw it all away.”

Hayden's podium helped make up for the disappointment of team-mate Valentino Rossi crashing, and then taking out Casey Stoner, while within sight of the lead on lap 8.

Stoner blasts marshals after Rossi collision

"What is more frustrating is the reaction of the stewards and their assistance for Valentino and not for me, it was unbelievable" - Casey Stoner.

Casey Stoner was prepared to accept that Valentino Rossi made a racing mistake at Jerez on Sunday - when the Italian crashed while trying to overtake the Australian, bringing them both down - but felt the reaction of the marshals was out of order.

While Rossi was able to rejoin and ultimately finish fifth Stoner, second behind Marco Simoncelli at the time of the accident, felt he didn't get enough assistance from the marshals to try and bump-start his factory Honda.

Stoner had stopped the engine when he fell to avoid damage.

The Australian, winner from pole at round one in Qatar and also on pole at Jerez, was thus forced to retire, also costing him the world championship lead.

"I heard Valentino arriving and I wasn't worried about anyone passing me at that point in the race so I gave him plenty of room,” said Stoner.

"It was a racing incident and there's not much we can do, what is more frustrating is the reaction of the stewards and their assistance for Valentino and not for me, it was unbelievable."

Interestingly, Marco Simoncelli made similar complaints about the marshals after crashing out of the lead, also at turn one, on lap 12.

"The most frustrating thing about today though was that I got no help at all from the marshals, unlike other riders today," said Simoncelli. "The bike was okay and if I could have had some help I am sure I could have still had a good race."

San Carlo Honda Gresini team manager Fausto Gresini added: "The thing I am most annoyed about is the way [Marco] didn't get any help from the marshals, which was given to others! I don't want to get involved in controversy but I think there should be a criteria of equality for all riders."

After Simoncelli's exit, Jorge Lorenzo took the lead and went on to win Sunday's race.

Lorenzo now leads the world championship by nine points over Stoner's team-mate Dani Pedrosa. Stoner is 20 points behind Lorenzo in third with Rossi a further five points adrift in fifth.

Rossi 'sorry' for Stoner clash, lost opportunity

“We had a great chance for me to make my first podium with Ducati, or even my first win” – Valentino Rossi.

Valentino Rossi made a costly mistake in Sunday's Spanish MotoGP at Jerez, which robbed the Italian of a potential first Ducati victory and knocked Casey Stoner out of the world championship lead.

Rossi, seventh on his Ducati debut in Qatar, was far more competitive in the wet Jerez conditions and quickly worked his way forwards from twelfth on the grid - after a crash in qualifying - to catch leaders Marco Simoncelli, Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo after 7 of the 27 laps.

The seven-time MotoGP champion wasted no time in overtaking former Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo, putting him directly behind new Repsol Honda rider Stoner, winner from pole in Qatar and on pole again at Jerez.

As the pair headed for turn one at the start of lap 8 Rossi suddenly pulled to the inside and made an unexpected move on Stoner from a long way back. Rossi later claimed he hadn't been trying to pass Stoner, but simply avoid him.

Either way, Rossi dived inside Stoner and was half-a-bikelength ahead when his front Bridgestone cried enough and dumped him on the asphalt at the apex of the corner. Rossi and his sliding Desmosedici then wiped out the unfortunate Stoner.

Rossi and his bike came to rest with Stoner's RCV on top of them, but it was Rossi who was able to rejoin and ultimately finish fifth in the crash-packed race, while Stoner was forced to retire.

The #46 apologised to Stoner straight after the race.

Later in the evening Rossi, who set the fastest lap of the race, explained the day's events from his point of view.

“Today in the wet we had a great chance for me to make my first podium with Ducati, or even to get my first win,” Rossi admitted.

“I felt good, both with the bike and my shoulder, because I could brake where I wanted to rather than where I'm forced to in the dry, since I still don't have the necessary strength.

“The bike is very fast in the wet. I was advancing really well, and I'm sorry to have made that mistake and thrown away such an opportunity.
“While braking for the first corner, I entered a bit long, and although I tried to stay to the inside, I lost the front and couldn't stay up. I'm sorry, because I also took out Stoner, and I certainly didn't want to do that.

“I apologised to him, and I'm truly sorry; it was a mistake. It's a shame because we really could have gotten some satisfaction, but we'll keep trying. We're still not so fast in the dry, but we're working hard.

“Anyway today's fifth place gave us eleven points that are very important in the championship.”

The last time Rossi crashed, and brought another rider down with him, was when he collided with Marco Melandri at the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix.

“It's a shame about the crash because he would have fought for the win, and obviously, we're also very sorry that Casey was involved,” added team manager Vittoriano Guareschi.

Lorenzo went on to take victory on Sunday, after Simoncelli crashed out of the lead, and now leads the world championship by nine points over Dani Pedrosa.

Stoner, Ducati's 2007 world champion, is 20 points behind in third with Rossi a further five points adrift in fifth.

It wasn't all bad news for Ducati on Sunday - Rossi's Nicky Hayden took third place and with it the factory's first podium of the season. 

Spies second-place ends on the floor after ‘taking it easy’

“Every corner after I passed him I slowed down, taking it easy then all of a sudden I was on the floor” – Ben Spies.

The Factory Yamaha Team saw its hopes of a perfect one-two finish in Sunday's wet Spanish Grand Prix disappear when Ben Spies crashed out of second place with just over two laps remaining.

The mistake was all the more frustrating since Spies had already done the hard work by chasing down and passing Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa for second place.

But despite backing off, Spies was caught out at turn five when he lost the front on the very next lap.

“I don't think of it as a race today, it was more attrition,” said Spies. “Once we moved into fourth behind Nicky [Hayden] I knew I could get past so just waited for the right moment.

“Dani was only a few seconds ahead of me and I thought for sure we could get on the podium. I slowly started to catch him, Jorge [Lorenzo] was obviously going to win but we could go one-two.

“I put it all out there and caught Dani. As soon as I passed him I knew that we had second place under control, he wouldn't be able to get back by but I needed to not make any mistakes.

“Every corner after I passed him I slowed down, taking it easy then all of a sudden I was on the floor. Obviously it was my mistake, but looking at the data I was going slower than I had all race. It was one of those things; I think the tyres were the limiting factor today.

“I think it was a great show for the crowd though!”

“[Like Lorenzo] Ben was also clever, waiting and taking his time to get to second,” added team director Massimo Meregalli. “Unfortunately in the wet like this a little mistake can compromise a race. I'm sorry for him with just two laps to go he deserved the podium.”

After Spies' exit, fellow Texan Colin Edwards was promoted to third - but his Yamaha broke down on the final lap, handing the final podium place to another American, Nicky Hayden (Ducati).

Edwards robbed of podium on last lap

"The bike didn't feel great coming out of the last corner to start the last lap and by the time I got to the first corner it just stopped" - Colin Edwards.

Colin Edwards came within one lap of claiming his first MotoGP podium since 2009 during Sunday's eventful Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.

But as Edwards turned into turn one for the final time his M1 died after what the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team ironically called 'a minor technical issue', forcing the stunned Texan to walk away from third place.

Edwards had been as low as tenth early in the race, but kept his head as others crashed on the worn Bridgestone wets and passed struggling factory Ducati rider Nicky Hayden for third place with three laps to go.

“That's pretty tough to take because getting a podium in MotoGP is not something you get chance to get every week,” said Edwards, who would have taken his twelfth podium in the premier-class.

“The race was unbelievable because it was all about who could keep it on two wheels the longest.

“I was quite a way back at one stage but just didn't want to do anything stupid and crash and I just felt more and more confident to push. Nicky came back to me really quickly and I knew I'd have no problem passing him because he was in trouble with his tyres.

“I didn't have a lot more grip but I pulled away from him and the podium was right in front of me.

“The bike didn't feel great coming out of the last corner to start the last lap and by the time I got to the first corner it just stopped.

“Obviously I'm disappointed but I can't change what happened. I wanted that podium for my guys at Monster Yamaha Tech 3 because they are awesome. But we move on and try to bounce back at Estoril.”

Dejected team manager Herve Poncharal said it felt even worse to know that Edwards was in no way to blame.

“I am really upset and sorry for what happened to Colin,” said Poncharal. “He was one of the fastest guys out there and once Ben [Spies] crashed he got third and he was easily quicker than Nicky.

“Unfortunately a technical problem didn't allow him to finish the race. This is really a pity as I think it would have been a very strong result for the team. Colin did not deserve that as he rode a really strong race, but that's racing. But I feel a bit bitter about how he was denied through no fault of his own.”

Edwards' rookie team-mate Cal Crutchlow also lost a podium chance, the Englishman crashing while in fifth place - ahead of Edwards - on lap 19 of 27. Crutchlow rejoined to finish eighth.

Crutchlow crashes chasing MotoGP podium

“There's no doubt the way I was catching Hayden that I was thinking about a podium. I've nothing to lose so I was pushing...” - Cal Crutchlow.

Despite only 20-minutes of wet track time on his Monster Yamaha before the start of the Spanish MotoGP, rookie Cal Crutchlow had closed to within two-seconds of eventual podium finisher Nicky Hayden when he fell victim to the tricky Jerez conditions.

Crutchlow, ninth on the grid and tenth in the opening laps, moved into fifth position behind Hayden on lap 12 of 27 in the crash-strewn race.

Sensing he could fight for a podium, and with little to lose, Crutchlow put everything into his pursuit of Hayden, but was caught out at Turn 9 on lap 20. Crutchlow was able to remount and finish eighth.

“I never thought I'd crash in MotoGP and still get a top ten 10!” smiled Cal, who set the seventh fastest lap of the race, quicker than the likes of factory riders Andrea Dovizioso and Ben Spies.

“That was an unbelievable race and not one of the easiest I've had in my career. The conditions were so unpredictable that it was hard to get any grip and I was having lots of moments with the front and rear tyre, but so was everybody else. I could see people were making mistakes but I just tried to keep my head.

“When I got into fifth I felt pretty comfortable though I wanted it to rain again because the tyres were wearing pretty fast. I was gaining on Nicky really quick and he was in fourth, so there's no doubt the way I was catching him that I was thinking about a podium. I've nothing to lose so I was pushing and I went down at Turn 9.

“I actually lost the rear but then pushed the front and I was down. I'm not going to be too hard on myself crashing when I was battling for a podium in MotoGP. I'm happy because before this morning I'd never tried the bike in the rain, so to be where I was is a good sign.

“I was in the top ten in the wet and dry on a track I'd never seen before Thursday, so I'm making good progress,” he concluded.

“With more crashes we were getting nearer and nearer to the front and we started to dream of a podium but then Cal unfortunately crashed,” added team manager Herve Poncharal. “It was a mistake and it was a pity as he could have had a really strong result in just his second race. But the good point was that he picked up the bike and continued to push hard to finish eighth.”

Crutchlow's team-mate Colin Edwards - behind the Englishman when he fell - took up the pursuit of Hayden and what became third place after the late exit of Ben Spies.

Edwards overtook Hayden with three laps to go, but his M1 then stopped on the very final lap, handing the final place on the podium back to the #69.

What Stoner said to Rossi after Jerez crash...

This is what Casey Stoner said to Valentino Rossi when the Italian apologised for taking the Australian out of the Spanish MotoGP after a botched overtake for second place on lap 8 of 27.

Rossi rejoined to finish fifth, while new Repsol Honda rider Stoner - who won from pole at round one in Qatar, and was on pole again at Jerez - was forced to retire.

Rossi went to find Stoner in the Repsol Honda pits after the race and they shook hands, then...

Stoner (smiling): “How's your shoulder? Is it okay?”

Rossi (helmet still on): “I'm very sorry.”

Stoner: “Okay. You have some problem with your shoulder?”

Rossi: “I make a mistake”

Stoner: “Yeah. Obviously your ambition outweighed your talent.”

Rossi: “Eh?”

Stoner: “Ambition is more than the talent.”

Rossi: “I'm very sorry.”

Stoner: “No problem.”

PICS: Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner Jerez crash

This is the controversial moment when Valentino Rossi crashed and took out 2011 MotoGP World Championship leader Casey Stoner during Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez (see below for full sequence).

The incident occurred when Rossi tried to overtake Stoner for second place at turn one on lap 8 of the wet race.

The Italian, who had qualified just twelfth for Ducati, came from a long way back in the braking area, but looked like he might just make it work - until his front-wheel folded at the apex.

Stoner was on the outside of the Italian with nowhere to go and Rossi's fallen bike wiped out the Australian's front wheel, sending them both sliding off.

Rossi rejoined to finish fifth in a race that saw eight riders crash, while Stoner was forced to retire.

Rossi later apologised to Stoner, who won from pole at round one in Qatar.

Stoner, although smiling and accepting Rossi's handshake, said “Your ambition outweighs your talent” during the brief exchange, in which he also asked about Rossi's shoulder.

PICS: Simoncelli highsides out of race lead at Jerez

Marco Simoncelli's hopes of a first MotoGP victory, and indeed podium, came crashing down when he suffered this highside (see below for full sequence) while leading Sunday's wet Spanish MotoGP at Jerez.

Simoncelli was already leading when Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner collided just behind him on lap 8 of 27, handing him a near two-second lead over Jorge Lorenzo.

But that counted for nothing when the Italian became one of eight riders to crash during the Jerez race, after this accident at turn one on lap 12.

Simoncelli initially lost the front, saved it, then lost the rear.

"I am really disappointed!" said Simoncelli. "I knew after the first five laps that the tyres were struggling but I managed to hold my advantage over Lorenzo.

"Unfortunately I lost the front in turn one and the rear came round on me – I tried to get it back under control but I couldn't manage it. It happens in racing and even though I am disappointed I am also happy to have shown again that I am a contender this year.

"The most frustrating thing about today though was that I got no help at all from the marshals, unlike other riders today. The bike was okay and if I could have had some help I am sure I could have still had a good race.

"That is not good but as I said before I showed I can run with the best today and that's the main thing we'll take away with us. A major result is around the corner.”

Super Sic's exit handed home victory to Lorenzo.

Lorenzo wins crash-crazy Spanish GP

Jorge Lorenzo has taken his first MotoGP victory as reigning world champion after an accident-packed Spanish Grand Prix, round two of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship and the first European race of the year.

Rain fell throughout Sunday at Jerez, and got heavier for the MotoGP main event, which was the first wet premier-class race since Sepang, Malaysia, in 2009.

The 17 riders at least had morning warm-up to experience the conditions, when pole sitter Casey Stoner was fastest from twelfth-on-the-grid Valentino Rossi, followed by Andrea Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden and Lorenzo.

Stoner held his start line advantage into turn one, but was unable to break away and lost the lead to Marco Simoncelli on lap 6, with Lorenzo and Rossi right behind him.

Rossi - who had charged his way forwards from eighth on lap one - then passed former team-mate Lorenzo on the following lap.

That put the Italian star directly behind Stoner, and the seven time MotoGP champion launched a rash pass on the Repsol Honda rider into turn one of lap 8.

Rossi came from a long way back, but was able to cut inside Stoner without contact - until he lost the front of his Ducati, sideswiped Stoner and sent them both sliding into the gravel.

Rossi remained on his prone Ducati, which now had Stoner's RCV literally lying on top of it. Yet it was Rossi who got away first, while Stoner was forced to retire - and left fuming at the lack of assistance he received from the marshals.

Rossi rejoined at the back of the field, yet was still able to finish in fifth place due to the number of accidents that followed. The #46 went straight to the Repsol Honda pits after the race to apologise to Stoner.

Stoner, although smiling and accepting Rossi's handshake, said “Your ambition outweighs your talent” during the brief exchange, in which he also asked about Rossi's shoulder.

PICTURES: Spanish MotoGP at Jerez

The picture gallery will be updated throughout the weekend, which begins with the pre-event press conference on Thursday and ends with the race on Sunday afternoon.

The Spanish Grand Prix, the first European round of the year, also sees the return of John Hopkins, who last raced in MotoGP during 2008.

Hopper is replacing the injured Alvaro Bautista at Suzuki, the team he raced for in MotoGP from 2003-2007.