At Laguna Seca, Casey Stoner already won last year. It was therefore logical that he managed to pass Jorge Lorenzo, in the lead pack at the start, to take the lead and clinch victory at the Grand Prix held there on 29 July. Dani Pedrosa, very regular, took 3rd place. As for team Yamaha Tech 3, supported technically by Motul, they were also satisfied: after one of his trademark excellent starts, Andrea Dovizioso rapidly got right behind Ben Spies' Yamaha, just ahead of his team-mate Cal Crutchlow. In front of more than 52,000 spectators, the three riders battled it out until Spies' fall in the 22nd lap in the famous Corkscrew turn. Crutchlow then kept constant pressure on Dovizioso who remained perfectly stoic and calm, keeping his perfect trajectories. The two Tech 3 riders crossed the arrival line in 4th and 5th place, strengthening the team's position as the best private team on the field.
'The last few weeks have been very hard', commented Hervé Poncharal, Tech 3 manager, 'but have given us the finest pages of our history in MotoGP. Andrea and Cal gave their fans a fantastic show, and this result underscores the extraordinary work put in by all the team.'
Teams and riders will now enjoy three weeks of rest before the last part of the season, meeting again on 19 August at the Indianapolis circuit.
Standings
01// Jorge Lorenzo - Yamaha - 205 pts
02// Dani Pedrosa - Honda - 182 pts
03// Casey Stoner - Honda - 173 pts
04// Andrea Dovizioso - Yamaha Tech3 - 121 pts - Motul
05// Cal Crutchlow - Yamaha Tech3 - 106 pts - Motul
Photo credit: Stan Perec
