Alvaro Bautista was just four seconds off the podium, and a second place for Michele Pirro in the CRT battle seperated from the winner by 0.7 seconds in Barcelona.
Alvaro built on the confidence he has found in recent weeks to ride with conviction and determination after a bad start whilst Michele is finally reaping the fruit of months of hard work that promises much for the future.
It is a shame that I didn't get a perfect start. It's bad enough being on the third row but I managed to lose positions from there
Alvaro Bautista ( 6th )
“It is a shame that I didn't get a perfect start. It's bad enough being on the third row but I managed to lose positions from there and had a tough battle to recover, especially with Valentino. The most pleasing thing about the fight with Rossi was that I passed him in the same place he passed Lorenzo for the win in 2009. Unfortunately the guys at the front had got too far ahead and by the time I was lapping at the same pace as them the tyres were dropping off and I couldn't catch them. Next time we have to try hard to get a better position on the grid and make a better start but for now I am satisfied. It's the same result as Jerez and Estoril but with a much smaller gap to the podium and now we have the opportunity to build on it in the test tomorrow.”
Michele Pirro (14th)
“We always get a good start but unlike the others I don't seem to be able to push hard on fresh tyres. Over the rest of the race my pace is consistent so we need to work on not losing so much ground at the start of the race. I am sure we could have finished as the top CRT here today but anyway this is still a good result and I had a lot of fun overtaking. I have to say a special thanks to the team, who are working round the clock to give me the means to do well. I do what I can and I am sure that if we continue to believe we will get our rewards.”
Fausto Gresini
“It has been a great day, even though it could have been better with Alvaro possibly fighting for the podium if he'd been higher on the grid. Anyway, this was his best race of the season so far, finishing just four seconds off the podium. I am also very happy with Michele and the CRT guys because this was their best race too and they were just a hair's breadth away from being the top CRT. Maybe if he could have passed De Puniet sooner he would have had a better chance but we are satisfied and proud anyway to be getting these results on such a tight budget.”
Results
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 43'07.681
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team + 5.003
3. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Yamaha Tech3 + 9.361
4. Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team + 9.544
5. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha Tech3 + 12.506
6. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Honda Gresini + 13.948
7. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team + 17.555
8. Stefan Bradl (GER) LCR Honda + 23.478
9. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team + 30.410
10. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing + 32.897
11. Hector Barbera (SPA) Pramac Racing Team + 36.144
12. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing + 56.229
13. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Power Electronics Aspar + 1'08.054
14. Michele Pirro (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini + 1'08.775
15. Randy De Puniet (FRA) Power Electronics Aspar + 1'10.483
16. James Ellison (UK) Paul Bird Motorsport + 1'13.090
17. Mattia Pasini (ITA) Speed Master + 1'20.903
18. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Avintia Racing + 1'21.235
19. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Came Iodaracing Project + 1'41.207
20. Ivan Silva (SPA) Avintia Racing + 1'41.888
21. Colin Edwards (USA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing After 1 laps
Championship Standings
1 Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 115
2 Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 95
3 Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 85
4 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Yamaha Tech3 60
5 Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha Tech3 56
6 Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team 51
7 Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Honda Gresini 45
8 Stefan Bradl (GER) LCR Honda 43
9 Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team 40
10 Hector Barbera (SPA) Pramac Racing Team 31
11 Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 24
12 Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Power Electronics Aspar 12
13 Randy De Puniet (FRA) Power Electronics Aspar 7
14 Mattia Pasini (ITA) Speed Master 6
15 James Ellison (UK) Paul Bird Motorsport 5
16 Colin Edwards (USA) NGM Mobile Forward Racing 4
17 Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing 4
18 Michele Pirro (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 4
19 Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Came Iodaracing Project 3
20 Yonny Hernandez (COL) Avintia Racing 2
21 Ivan Silva (SPA) Avintia Racing 1
by Simon 03rd Jun 2012 22:00
Bautista is getting a bit better but still way off the pace despite third row start - he is still one for the future