July 27, 2009

Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso won the British MotoGP here on Sunday on its farewell appearance at the track.

The 23-year-old Honda pilot beat home American Colin Edwards on a Yamaha while Frenchman Randy de Puniet was third on a Honda.

Overall championship leader Valentino Rossi failed to make the podium after crashing whilst in the lead, but still extended his advantage in the standings as he finished fifth while Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo went out early on.

Australian Casey Stoner had a disappointing day in finishing 14th, one spot behind compatriot Chris Vermeulen, but he remains third on the standings.

Dovizioso was ecstatic to have given the team a much-needed victory.

“I won on the wet here in 2007 in the 250cc class, so I knew the conditions well,” said the Italian.

“The emotion this tine is very different as it is in another class. The start of the season has not been easy so it gives me great pleasure to get this victory for the team,” added Dovizioso, who was crowned world 125cc champion in 2004.

Edwards for his part bemoaned the fact that having changed tyres, they took too long to warm up which could have made a difference to between breaking his MotoGp duck after over a hundred races.

“I am too old for this s*&#!” joked the 35-year-old.

“My tyres were too cold towards the end after I changed them (because it was raining). There was just not enough warmth in the tyres.”

De Puniet was over the moon to have got onto the podium.

“It was a very good race for me,” beamed the personable 28-year-old.

“It was pretty difficult. I had a big fight with Dani Pedrosa then Colin (Edwards) came up to me. It was very slippery out there but it is fantastic for me and the team to get onto the podium.”

With both Lorenzo gone, and 2007 champion Casey Stoner struggling - he was to finish 14th - it left Rossi well out in the lead.

But holding a comfortable advantage, with 11 laps to go, the Italian came a cropper as he slid and crashed.

He was able to remount the bike and keep it going but returned to the fray in 11th and last position some 20 seconds down the field to new leader Dovizioso while de Puniet was in second.

The rain started to come down with eight laps remaining and several riders scrambled to change their tyres.

De Puniet really put his foot down and with four laps remaining he reduced the Italian's lead by three seconds whilst Rossi had moved up to sixth.

With three laps to go Dovizioso's lead was down to less than two seconds over de Puniet and Edwards but was able to stabilise it and hold on for a landmark victory.

Earlier Japanese rider Hiroshi Aoyama won the 250cc race to record his third victory of the season and extend his lead in the overall standings.

Aoyama was an easy winner ahead of Spaniard Alvaro Bautista while Mattia Pasini of Italy was third.

Spanish rider Julian Simon had started off proceedings by winning the 125cc Grand Prix. The Aprilia rider beat home Italy's Simone Corsi and Scott Redding of Great Britain.

Results
1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Honda) 48min 26.267sec,
2. Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) at 1.360sec,
3. Randy de Puniet (FRA/Honda) 1.600,
4. Alex de Angelis (SMR/Honda) 8.958,
5. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 21.622,
6. James Toseland (GBR/Yamaha) 22.465,
7. Marco Melandri (ITA/Kawasaki) 35.284,
8. Niccolo Canepa (ITA/Ducati) 38.769,
9. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 42.112,
10. Mika Kallio (FIN/Ducati) 45.845,
11. Loris Capirossi (ITA/Suzuki) 53.190,
12. Gabor Talmacsi (HUN/Honda) 1min 12.315sec,
13. Chris Vermeulen (AUS/Suzuki) 1:20.398,
14. Casey Stoner (AUS/Ducati) at one lap,