2011 MotoGP World Championship Series final round, GP GENERALI DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA / Race report
The final round of MotoGP came to Valencia, and 5 MD600 riders competed in Moto2 class at the Ricardo Tormo circuit.
The sky was covered with clouds from the beginning. The first free practice session started in wet and later changed to dry where the second FP session was in rain. It was difficult for riders and teams. By FP3 on following day, two Gresini Racing Moto2 riders were in single digit position among others, Yuki Takahashi on 5th and Michele Pirro on 7th.
Finally the qualifying practice started in dry but the condition didn’t last long. It started drizzling after only few laps. Gresini riders were quick and managed to put themselves on 1st and 2nd of the time sheet in that short period of time. It was Pirro’s first pole position and Takahashi’s 6th front row in the season.
And other MD600 riders in QP: Alex Baldolini (Desguaces La Torre G22) 18th, Mashel Al Naimi (QMMF Racing Team) 37th, and replacing injured Cardus, Nasser Hasan Al Malki (QMMF Racing Team) was 38th.
The race started in 16 degree air, 11 degree ground condition. It started drizzling as the riders were preparing to start. Takahashi grabbed the hole shot from the second in the grid, and went into turn1. He was passed and completing the opening lap in 2nd. Behind him, his teammate Pirro was in 6th, Baldolini in 22nd, Al Naimi in 35th ad Al Malki 38th.
Takahashi passed then the race leader at home straight on next lap, took lead once again. Pirro was moving up one by one, came to 3rd on lap2 and got 2nd on lap3, 2 Gresini MORIWAKI bikes were leading the race.
Takahashi started stretching the gap to Pirro, and dominating the race but crashed out at lap6. The continuous drizzling could have influenced, however, he ended his race with a big highside.
Then, Pirro came to the top. Around 2 seconds margin, he led the race. The gap to the runner up increased in the latter part of the race and Pirro won the race with 6.150sec lead. The first victory for MD600 in 2011 season.
Other MD600 riders: Baldolini rode well, stayed in 15th in large part of the latter half but finished in 19th. And Al Naimi in 27th and Al Malki in 29th, completed the race.
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Michele PIRRO’ comment:
Firstly, I’m very happy for the win. This is spiritual race.
It was very difficult because condition of the track wasn’t easy, wet and a little bit of dry, wet and a little bit of dry, but I was concentrating. And I checked with Marco, following me, and Marco stay on my bike with me. Maybe this week was very good for me, but only because of Marco stayed with me and on the bike. Thank you very much for my team and my family, and every one supported us.
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MD600 Qualifying Practice result:
-- POLE POSITION
TEAM / Gresini Racing Moto2
RIDER / No.51 Michele PIRRO
TIME / 1'37.067
-- 2nd
TEAM / Gresini Racing Moto2
RIDER / No.72 Yuki TAKAHASHI
TIME / 1'37.076
--18th
TEAM / Desguaces La Torre G22
RIDER / No.25 Alex BALDOLINI
TIME / 1'39.293
--37th
TEAM / QMMF Racing Team
RIDER / No.95 Mashel AL NAIMI
TIME / 1'42.627
--38th
TEAM / QMMF Racing Team
RIDER / No.96 Nasser Hasan AL MALKI
TIME / 1'43.709
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MD600 Race result:
--1st
TEAM / Gresini Racing Moto2
RIDER / No.51 Michele PIRRO
--19th
TEAM / Desguaces La Torre G22
RIDER / No.25 Alex BALDOLINI
--27th
TEAM / QMMF Racing Team
RIDER / No.95 Mashel AL NAIMI
--29th
TEAM / QMMF Racing Team
RIDER / No.96 Nasser Hasan AL MALKI
Not Classified
TEAM / Gresini Racing Moto2
RIDER / No.72 Yuki TAKAHASHI
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World Championship Classification
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CONSTRUCTOR CHAMPIONSHIP
MORIWAKI MD600 RANKING / 6th / 138point
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RIDER POINT RANKING
-- 9th / No.51 Michele PIRRO / 84point
-- 11th / No.72 Yuki TAKAHASHI / 77point
-- 31st / No.88 Ricard CARDUS / 2point
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Congratulations to Michele Pirro!!!
And thank you to Marco Simoncelli!!!
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MotoGP official website
http://www.motogp.com
http://www.motogp.com/en/Moto2
Result
http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics
