Motegi MotoGP: Ben Spies produces overtaking exhibition

Ben Spies failed to extend his impressive run of top six finishes at the Twin Ring Motegi, but the Texan still produced a stunning ride to recover from an early mistake.

The former World Superbike champion had lost two places on the opening lap when he ran off track having taken evasive action to avoid running into the back of Loris Capirossi’s factory Suzuki GSV-R at turn five on lap two.

The 26-year-old lost eight seconds but then embarked on an enthralling recovery having been dropped back to 15th, with compatriot Nicky Hayden also running off just seconds later.

Spies produced a brilliant display of overtaking to pick off Mika Kallio, Hiroshi Aoyama, Marco Melandri, Aleix Espargago, Hector Barbera and Randy de Puniet.

He eventually fought his way back to eighth place having benefited from a late pre-race set-up gamble.

Spies ran a revised front-end geometry setting and rear shock and spring he’d never tried before and he said: “After the way the weekend went, to be in the top eight I’m extremely happy with, especially coming from 15th after running off the track.

“We made a big change to the bike before the race with front and rear geometry and made a big step. The race was good. Once I got back on the track I had good pace coming through the field and I used the tyres up a little more than if I had a clear race track from the beginning. 

“But coming here and not knowing the track I never got a handle on it and I don’t think I rode that well. From Friday with the set-up we weren’t in a good place and it made for a long weekend. We cleared our heads after warm-up and went into the race trying to put together a good race.

“I made a big mistake in the race. Going into turn five, Loris was in front of me and I don’t know why but he braked really, really early and to avoid hitting him I had to move over and get on the kerbs. Nicky had to the same thing because he braked early and we didn’t have anywhere to go.

“We were both off in the gravel and I saw everybody way ahead. But I fought really hard to pick up a few places and in the end it was an okay result. After my pace in the warm-up I was wondering how I would be able to fight with anybody but I made some passes and I never gave up.

“I rode as hard as I could and while it wasn’t my best result it was still a really good race. Even coming through the field I was still turning some really fast laps that without the mistake would have given me a chance of running in the top five.”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Colin Edwards scored his best result since the last round of 2009 in Valencia with fifth.

He spent a large part of the 24-lap encounter shadowing Italian rookie Marco Simoncelli before attacking on lap 18.

The veteran American was happy with his result but frustrated that he was almost 30 seconds adrift of victorious Casey Stoner.

He said: ““In terms of the result I’m really happy because it is my first top six finish of the year. I rode good all weekend and was only four-tenths off pole, but what I’m a little disappointed about is that I’m 27 seconds behind the winner.

“That’s a big chunk of time and I’m riding as hard as I can. I feel comfortable and I feel good on the bike now we improved the setting but I guess we just have to shoot for being top non-factory rider.

“It was hard in the first few laps because I didn’t have a lot of feel in the left-side of the rear tyre. But once I got confident, Simoncelli passed me but I was happy just to sit behind him and study him, check where I was faster while making sure I wasn’t going to leave the door open for Capirossi.

“I think my rear tyre had good grip for a little bit longer than Simoncelli’s and I managed to pass him, put my head down for a couple of laps and managed to pull a gap.”