The Australian Grand Prix, which saw Jorge Lorenzo crowned world champion in MotoGP, proved to be particularly challenging for the Ducati Team and its two riders, who brought home seventh and eighth place points.
Despite working hard along with their respective teams, Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden weren’t able to maintain a fast enough race pace to fight with the group of riders whose lap times they had approached over the previous two days.
The Australian race completes the long overseas trip and leaves only the Spanish round in Valencia, which will close out the 2012 season in two weeks.
Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) 7th
“As far as the result is concerned, I think seventh place is probably the best that was possible, whereas the gap could have been better. Nicky was with me the whole race. I was ahead and I pushed, but I was never able to shake him. The bike I crashed with in the warm-up had some small changes that we wanted to try, but honestly, I don’t think I could have done much more. I’m not able to enter the corners fast because whenever I try, I go too wide. I have to brake earlier, try to keep a bit of margin, and then accelerate as soon as possible, but by opening the gas very early, with the bike leaned over, the tyre heats up a lot on the edges. Today it immediately started sliding too much. Complements to Marquez and Lorenzo for their titles, which both of them certainly deserve.”
Nicky Hayden (Ducati Team) 8th
“It was a really hard weekend. Normally I love Phillip Island, but we did 32.3s in FP1 and haven’t been able to improve grip and turning much since, despite making a lot of changes. I felt a little better in the race and was able to fight with Valentino a little bit. He was faster in the beginning, but once the tyres went away, I could manage, although front-tyre wear hurt me toward the end. I thought I might be able to have a go at him in the last couple of laps, but then I ran wide in turn 11 and he got a break on me. He was going to be tough to beat anyway. It’s frustrating, because I remember battling with Valentino for the win here, and we’ve been on the podium together a few times at this track. Thanks to the team because we really tried everything this weekend.”
Vittoriano Guareschi, Team Manager
“It was a very challenging weekend for the team and the riders, even if everyone tried their best to find a setup that would work on this track. Today’s crash in the warm-up certainly didn’t help Valentino, but anyway, I don’t think things would have gone much differently. Nicky had a difficult time all weekend. Back home, we’ll have to analyse all the data we’ve gathered and do better at Valencia in the last race.”
Results
1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 41'01.324
2. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing + 9.223
3. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha Tech3 + 14.570
4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Yamaha Tech3 + 23.303
5. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Honda Gresini + 23.432
6. Stefan Bradl (GER) LCR Honda + 23.467
7. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team + 37.113
8. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team + 38.387
9. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing + 52.613
10. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Power Electronics Aspar + 1'00.299
11. Randy De Puniet (FRA) Power Electronics Aspar + 1'00.342
12. Hector Barbera (SPA) Pramac Racing Team + 1'21.951
13. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Came Iodaracing Project + 1'27.857
14. Michele Pirro (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini After 1 laps
15. Ivan Silva (SPA) Avintia Racing After 1 laps
16. James Ellison (UK) Paul Bird Motorsport Not classified (22 laps)
17. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team Not classified (26 laps)
18. Roberto Rolfo (ITA) Speed Master Not classified (9 laps)
19. Colin Edwards (USA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing Not classified (21 laps)
Championship Standings
1 Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 350
2 Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 307
3 Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 238
4 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Yamaha Tech3 208
5 Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Honda Gresini 165
6 Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team 157
7 Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha Tech3 151
8 Stefan Bradl (GER) LCR Honda 135
9 Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team 122
10 Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 88
11 Hector Barbera (SPA) Pramac Racing Team 83
12 Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Power Electronics Aspar 69
13 Randy De Puniet (FRA) Power Electronics Aspar 58
14 Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing 50
15 Michele Pirro (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 32
16 James Ellison (UK) Paul Bird Motorsport 28
17 Yonny Hernandez (COL) Avintia Racing 28
18 Colin Edwards (USA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing 25
19 Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Came Iodaracing Project 19
20 Mattia Pasini (ITA) Speed Master 13
21 Ivan Silva (SPA) Avintia Racing 12
22 Toni Elias (SPA) Pramac Racing Team 10
23 Katsuyuki Nakasuga (JPN) Yamaha YSP Racing Team 7
24 Steve Rapp (USA) Attack Performance 2
25 David Salom (SPA) Avintia Blusens 1
