British MotoGP: Crash ends Valentino Rossi’s victory hopes

Valentino Rossi blew his hopes of winning the last British MotoGP race at Donington Park when he crashed out of the lead in a dramatic race.

The Italian had already seen title rival and Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo tumble out of first place on lap nine when a small mistake at the Foggy Esses saw him lose the rear of his YZR-M1 11 laps later.

Rossi was able to remount and fightback from 11th to fifth place after a brilliant last lap tussle with British rider James Toseland. And despite his crash the 30-year-old increased his world championship to 25-points over Lorenzo.

Rossi’s mistake though gifted a maiden win to Repsol Honda rider and fellow Italian Andrea Dovizioso and he said: “Once Jorge had crashed I was riding to win, as is always my style.

“In hindsight maybe I should have let Dovizioso pass me for a while but it was difficult to judge in such strange conditions.

“Riding in the rain with slick tyres is always a risk and it was quite slippery, the turns on the left were all wet which made the left side of the tyre cold and that’s why I crashed.

“Luckily it was a slow fall and my bike wasn’t hurt much.

“In fact, my bike was ‘bravissima’, both before and after the crash!

“After that we made a great recovery, I chose to remain with slick tyres despite the rain and the result was eleven points, which are like gold dust for us because we have extended the lead despite what happened here.”

Yesterday’s crash means Rossi’s last win at Donington Park was in 2005, though he remains the most successful rider at the Leicestershire circuit.

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