Today’s race at the Sachsenring circuit was decided by 0,099 of a second and won by Valentino Rossi who held off his teammate Jorge Lorenzo to take his fourth victory of the season and also equal Giacomo Agostini’s record of 159 podium finishes.
The 30 lap race was battled by the top four riders in the championship, with Rossi taking the lead and Dani Pedrosa in second until Casey Stoner overtook him on lap 5, Rossi continued leading for seven laps until Casey Stoner overtook him with a clean pass, but after studying his rival for several laps Rossi then repassed Stoner and the Ducati rider then lost second place to a hard charging Jorge Lorenzo.
Stoner then had to fend off Dani Pedrosa who setting his fastest lap and took third from Stoner.
The Ducatista then ran wide after his rear tire gave him a warning and lost precious seconds and would eventually have to settle for fourth.
The two Yamaha riders were riding wheel to wheel, when Lorenzo overtook Rossi, who went slightly wide on turn 1.
Rossi began stalking his teammate, when on the second to last lap Rossi outbraked Lorenzo and took the lead again and the final lap saw Rossi close all the doors, and cross the finish line just in front of the Spanish rider.
Dani Pedrosa was third, finishing seven seconds ahead of Casey Stoner who settled for fourth.
Andrea Dovizioso who for a couple of laps was riding near the front runners when front tire problems left him struggling and after having to let through several riders eventually was forced to retire from the race.
Randy DePuniet highsided in the first lap and crashed out almost taking Casey Stoner with him.
Alex De Angelis finished fifth, with teammate Toni Elias taking sixth from Marco Melandri on the last lap.
Nicky Hayden who crashed yesterday and in this morning’s warm-up practice, took eighth.
Hayden lost time at the start when Alex DeAngelis coming up fast forced him wide leaving him 11th and having to up his pace to catch up with the others.
Tech 3 Yamaha riders, Colin Edwards and James Toseland were ninth and tenth.
Loris Capirossi was eleventh and Chris Vermeulen 13th, a negative weekend for Rizla Suzuki.
A bruised and battered Niccolo Canepa took a twelfth place finish, after being invovled in yesterday’s bizarre accident with Nicky Hayden, and Canepa’s teammate Mika Kallio was 14th.
Gabor Talmacsi was last and 15th took his first point of the season.
MotoGP Sachsenring results: 1.
Valentino ROSSI (Yamaha) 41′21.
769 2.
Jorge LORENZO (Yamaha) 0.
099 3.
Dani PEDROSA (Honda) 2.
899 4.
Casey STONER (Ducati) 10.
226 5.
Alex DE ANGELIS (Honda) 21.
522 6.
Toni ELIAS (Honda) 30.
852 7.
Marco MELANDRI (Kawasaki) 31.
301 8.
Nicky HAYDEN (Ducati) 31.
726 9.
Colin EDWARDS (Yamaha) 32.
865 10.
James TOSELAND (Yamaha) 43.
926 11.
Loris CAPIROSSI (Suzuki) 57.
375 12.
Niccolo CANEPA (Ducati) 1′00.
539 13.
Chris VERMEULEN (Suzuki) 1′03.
645 14.
Mika KALLIO (Ducati) 1′04.
155 15.
Gabor TALMACSI (Honda) 1 lapNC : Andrea DOVIZIOSODNF: Randy DE PUNIET