After another Grand Prix which decidedly swung things in his favour Valentino Rossi was in a typically upbeat mood at the conclusion of the Brno race.

Taking a 50-point lead into the final phase of the season, with six races to go at some of his favourite tracks, MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi is on course for yet another World title courtesy of his Czech Republic success.

Although Rossi started on pole the practice performances of his team-mate and closest championship rival Jorge Lorenzo suggested the pair would be set for another head-to-head duel at the front of the race. That proved to be the case but Rossi got the better of the young Spaniard again in front of the huge Czech crowd as Lorenzo overtook him towards the end of the race only to hit the ground with five laps to run.

Afterwards Rossi stated humbly, “First of all I have to say thanks to all my team because this weekend we did a great job from Friday. During the practice we were struggling a little bit with front feeling and we were quite fast but not enough. After today’s warm up we made another small modification which gave me a better feeling with the front tyre.”

The Italian star continued, “I knew that today would be tough because Jorge had gone with a fantastic pace in the practices. So I tried to make the perfect race, great start, stay at the front and push like a devil! I was making it hard work for him and then when he overtook me with six laps to go I was ready for battle and to put on a good show.”

“On turn three he lost the front and it is very bad for Jorge, it is a pity, but it is good for us as we now have a 50-point lead. There is still aValentino Rossi opened up a 50 point advantage in the MotoGP World Championship as Jorge Lorenzo crashed out in Brno when battling for the race lead with the Italian star.
Brno 2009 - MotoGP Race Highlights

Valentino Rossi got the best of his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo again at the Cardion AB Czech Republic Grand Prix on Sunday with the young Spaniard crashing out with five laps to go, as the pair battled for the race lead, handing Rossi a 50 point title advantage with six races to go.

In front of a crowd of nearly 140,000 fans the Fiat Yamaha duo had built up a ten second lead over the rest of the field but with Lorenzo desperate for points after his Donington DNF the 22 year-old from Mallorca pushed too hard again and slid out, with Rossi eventually finishing more than 11 seconds ahead of second placed Dani Pedrosa.

Behind Pedrosa, two more Honda riders, Toni Elías and Andrea Dovizioso, dueled for the final podium slot, with San Carlo Honda Gresini rider Elías just outdoing Repsol Honda’s Dovizioso. Repeating his 2008 Brno podium was a perfect reaction from Elías as he learned he has lost his Gresini ride for next year.

Just over a tenth of a second behind his compatriot Dovizioso there was a morale-boosting result for Loris Capirossi in fifth place for the Rizla Suzuki team. Nicky Hayden, meanwhile, bolstered his confidence in sixth, from eighth on the grid.

Hayden’s countryman Colin Edwards (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) will be disappointed to have ended up seventh after qualifying fifth and both Americans will be looking for top five results at the next round in Indianapolis.

The Brno top ten was completed by Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini), James Toseland (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda).

Mika Kallio and Marco Melandri were left bickering in the gravel after the pair crashed out when Kallio braked too late on the penultimate lap and both riders hit the deck.long way to the end of the season but we have a good advantage, so we have to keep pushing and stay focused.”

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