MotoGP 2012: Catalunya race results

Two-way scrap for the lead, as Crutchlow pressures world champ Stoner

JORGE Lorenzo stamped his authority on Catalunya at the weekend, breaking Dani Pedrosa to win by 5 seconds.

Pedrosa got the holeshot from the front row and was following into turn one by Ben Spies. Stoner, in a break from tradition, got muscled out at early on by Lorenzo. Stoner then felt the pressure from the Tech 3 duo of Dovizioso and Crutchlow.

Spies ran wide challenging for the lead and then tipped off, leaving the fight down to Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Dovizioso. Pedrosa and Lorenzo fought it out for the rest of the race and with just six laps left, Lorenzo tookthe lead after Pedrosa struggled to keep the front down driving out of a corner.

Crutchlow hassled Stoner all race with dogged determination but the young Aussie kept his cool to take fourth. Valentino Rossi finished seventh - the leading Ducati - followed by Bradl in eighth, Hayden ninth and Spies an impressive - but at the same time, disappointing - tenth.

MotoGP 2012 Catalunya Race Results

Pos. Num. Rider Team Time/Gap
1 99 Jorge LORENZO Yamaha Factory Racing 43'07.681
2 26 Dani PEDROSA Repsol Honda Team 5.003
3 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Monster Yamaha Tech 3 9.361
4 1 Casey STONER Repsol Honda Team 9.544
5 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW Monster Yamaha Tech 3 12.506
6 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA San Carlo Honda Gresini 13.948
7 46 Valentino ROSSI Ducati Team 17.555
8 6 Stefan BRADL LCR Honda MotoGP 23.478
9 69 Nicky HAYDEN Ducati Team 30.41
10 11 Ben SPIES Yamaha Factory Racing 32.897
11 8 Hector BARBERA Pramac Racing Team 36.144
12 17 Karel ABRAHAM Cardion AB Motoracing 56.229
13 41 Aleix ESPARGARO Power Electronics Aspar +1'08.054
14 51 Michele PIRRO San Carlo Honda Gresini +1'08.775
15 14 Randy DE PUNIET Power Electronics Aspar +1'10.483
16 77 James ELLISON Paul Bird Motorsport +1'13.090
17 54 Mattia PASINI Speed Master +1'20.903
18 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ Avintia Blusens +1'21.235
19 9 Danilo PETRUCCI Came IodaRacing Project +1'41.207
20 22 Ivan SILVA Avintia Blusens +1'41.888
5 Colin EDWARDS NGM Mobile Forward Racing 1 Lap