Australia's MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner powered back to the top of the overall standings by a single point after fending off Spanish rival Jorge Lorenzo to win in Portugal for the first time.
The Honda rider, who won the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez last weekend, dominated the race at Estoril after starting on pole position for the first time this season and now leads with 66 points after three races, with Yamaha's Lorenzo on 65.
Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, last year's winner in Portugal and Stoner's team mate, finished third for his 100th grand prix podium - a feat achieved by only six other riders in the past 64 years.
Stoner made a great start and never lost the lead on a sunny afternoon, although 2010 champion Lorenzo was close on his tail throughout - and
particularly mid-race - to keep the pressure up.
Stoner suffered from the tyre problem known as chattering and said later: "In the race we had some real bad chatter especially in the beginning with a full tank and I lost the front a couple of times and thought: 'ok, let's just back it off a little here and basically Jorge caught right back up to the back of me and I was just holding on, you know those middle laps didn't feel good, I didn't feel confident to push."
It was the second race in a row with Stoner and Lorenzo first and second and the Honda rider finished 1.421 seconds of his rival. The victory in Portugal meant Stoner has stood on top of the podium at least once in every MotoGP circuit.
Spaniard Marc Marquez snatched the Moto2 victory on his Suter after an intense last-lap battle with compatriot Pol Espargaro. Marquez now leads the championship with 70 points, nine ahead of Espargaro. Switzerland's Thomas Luethi finished third and is also third in the title race on 43 points.
The Moto3 event also saw a wheel to wheel battle on the final lap between Germany's Sandro Cortese and Spain's Maverick Vinales, Cortese winning by a fraction of a second with another Spaniard, Luis Salom, third.
MotoGP official result:
1. Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda 45:37.513
2. Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 45:38.934
3. Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 45:41.134
4. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Yamaha 45:51.359
5. Cal Crutchlow (Britain) Yamaha 45:54.203
6. Alvaro Bautista (Spain) Honda 45:59.397
7. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Ducati 46:04.310
8. Ben Spies (U.S.) Yamaha 46:10.775
9. Stefan Bradl (Germany) Honda 46:13.380
10. Hector Barbera (Spain) Ducati 46:30.876
11. Nicky Hayden (U.S.) Ducati 46:40.143
12. Aleix Espargaro (Spain) Aprilia 46:58.249
13. Randy de Puniet (France) Aprilia 47:00.996
14. Michele Pirro (Italy) Honda 47:15.418
15. Danilo Petrucci (Italy) Ioda 1 Lap
.MotoGP standings:
1. Casey Stoner (Australia) Honda 66
2. Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 65
3. Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 52
4. Cal Crutchlow (Britain) Yamaha 37
5. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Yamaha 35
6. Alvaro Bautista (Spain) Honda 29
7. Stefan Bradl (Germany) Honda 24
8. Nicky Hayden (U.S.) Ducati 23
9. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Ducati 22
10. Hector Barbera (Spain) Ducati 19
11. Ben Spies (U.S.) Yamaha 18
12. Aleix Espargaro (Spain) Aprilia 9
13. Randy de Puniet (France) Aprilia 6
14. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Suter 4
15. Danilo Petrucci (Italy) Ioda Racing Project 4
Reuters
source: newshub archive
