| Article 280-1 - MotoGP |
MotoGP
Last Sunday saw event number 16, of 18, in the 2011 MotoGP World Championship, with the Iveco Australian Grand Prix, at Phillip Island, the home race for standings leader, Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner, who turned 26 years of age on race day, when he not only won the race, but also made certain his second world crown, as 2011 MotoGP World Champion !
Two races remain on the calendar for this year, but Stoner has 325 points, after Phillip Island, ahead of Fiat Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo, who did not race in Australia, due to a hand injury arising from a crash during the pre-race warm-up session, having 260. Lorenzo may not now complete the season, with little chance that he will be fit to compete at the Valencia closing event, after definitely missing Sepang.
A number of riders fell foul of the tricky conditions at Phillip Island, including Valentino Rossi, with Ducati team, who did not complete the race, and whose difficult debut year with the Italian manufacturer, sees him currently on just 139 points.
Andrea Dovisioso, Repsol Honda, could technically overtake Lorenzo, to second place in the 2011 World Championship final standings, but something of a miracle would be required, to increase his points total from 212 to 262, assuming Lorenzo is unable to compete again this season. The battle for third, then, is between two of three Repsol Honda pilots, as Dani Pedrosa goes to Sepang 0n 208.
This Sunday, the action continues, with the penultimate event of the season, at Sepang, and the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, leading up to the Grand Finale, at Valencia, on 6th November.
Last year, the Sepang race winner was Valentino Rossi, then with Fiat Yamaha. Andrea Dovizioso was second, for Repsol Honda, and Rossi's team-mate at that time, Jorge Lorenzo, came third.
|
|
|
