German MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo rues double mistake

Jorge Lorenzo was left counting the cost of two mistakes that saw him lose out in another classic scrap with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi at the Sachsenring.

Lorenzo put up another heroic but ultimately flawed fight against Rossi in an enthralling 30-lap race that the Italian won by just 0.099s.

It is now four successive races without a victory for Lorenzo who now trails Rossi by 14-points heading into this weekend’s British GP at Donington Park.

It was clear though Lorenzo thought he should have banished the memory of his last corner defeat to Rossi in Catalunya last month.

Fourth at the end of the first lap, the 22-year-old had a brief early dice with Andrea Dovizioso before he moved into third place by Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa on lap nine.

He then claimed second from Aussie Casey Stoner on lap 18 to set up another thrilling showdown with eight-times world champion Rossi.

Despite struggling with the shoulder and foot injuries he suffered earlier this month in Laguna Seca, Lorenzo attacked at the first corner on lap 26 to dive under Rossi on the brake.

But he could only hold his advantage for three laps, Rossi retaliating at the same corner on the penultimate lap to win his 101st victory to leave Lorenzo looking bitterly frustrated at another late defeat. “You’re always disappointed to finish second and this is normal.

“Of course I’m disappointed to lose another very close race, it is always sad but I know that we are capable of fighting with him and considering his experience this is something I must be proud of.

“Second is important today and we still have a long way to go in this championship. I did a good race but I made some mistakes.

“The first one was not to attack earlier and maybe if I had attacked earlier I could have opened up a bit of a gap. It was difficult though to overtake Valentino because he was braking very late and I didn’t want to crash.

“When he passed me I made another mistake because I thought there were more laps to go. I thought there were more laps to go but it was almost the last lap.

“But Valentino has been very brave and I congratulate him. It was a very hard race because this track is slow and twisty and you have to use all the strength in your body to ride at the maximum.

“Keeping pace with Valentino today was a big challenge for me, especially since I’m not at full fitness after Laguna, so I am happy that I was able to push him until the end.”

 

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