[.OrgOwner]

It has taken more than a year but Dani Pedrosa added a third career MotoGP victory to his resume with an emphatic victory in the German Grand Prix. Before a sellout crowd of 101,000 spectators, Pedrosa raced to comfortable 13-second victory in the 30-lap race, the tenth round of the MotoGP championship.

It ended a long losing streak for Pedrosa and the factory HRC Repsol Honda team. Pedrosa’s previous victory came at last year’s British GP at Donington while a factory Honda had not won since the USGP at Laguna Seca last July.

America’s world champion, Nicky Hayden, was the winner that day and the Kentucky Kid has made a strong return to form just a week out from his home race, scheduled for next Sunday, 22 July.

Hayden came home third in Germany behind second placed Ducati rider Loris Capirossi, who was also back up to speed with his best result of the season so far.

In heat wave conditions this race was massive test for tires and Michelin won the day with the Bridgestone riders, including world championship leader Casey Stoner, struggling with durability. As Stoner battled a loss of rear grip he rode a controlled race to finish fifth, a race of damage limitation which extended his championship points lead over Valentino Rossi.

The race was disaster for Rossi who made rare error on lap six and crashed as he made a daring, but unsuccessful, inside passing move on Randy de Puniet’s Kawasaki. With Rossi scoring zero points Stoner’s lead is now out to 32 points, with Pedrosa third and 52 points behind Stoner.

MotoGP
1 Dani PEDROSA (Repsol Honda Team)

2 Loris CAPIROSSI (Ducati Marlboro Team)

3 Nicky HAYDEN (Repsol Honda Team)

4 Colin EDWARDS (Fiat Yamaha Team)

5 Casey STONER (Ducati Marlboro Team)

6 Marco MELANDRI (Honda Gresini)

7 John HOPKINS (Rizla Suzuki MotoGP)

8 Anthony WEST (Kawasaki Racing Team)

9 Alex HOFMANN (Pramac d'Antin)

10 Michel FABRIZIO (Honda Gresini)

11 Chris VERMEULEN (Rizla Suzuki MotoGP)

12 Kurtis ROBERTS (Team Roberts)

13 Makoto TAMADA (Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3)

14 Carlos CHECA (Honda LCR)

Standings
1. Casey Stoner (Australia) Ducati 196
2. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 164
3. Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 144
4. John Hopkins (U.S.) Suzuki 103
5. Marco Melandri (Italy) Honda 97
6. Chris Vermeulen (Australia) Suzuki 93
7. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Yamaha 88
8. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Ducati 77
9. Nicky Hayden (U.S.) Honda 73
10. Alex Barros (Brazil) Ducati 69
11. Alex Hofmann (Germany) Ducati 60
12. Toni Elias (Spain) Honda 49
13. Randy de Puniet (France) Kawasaki 40
14. Carlos Checa (Spain) Honda 27
15. Shinya Nakano (Japan) Honda 25
16. Makoto Tamada (Japan) Yamaha 23
17. Anthony West (Australia) Kawasaki 20
18. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Yamaha 18
19. Kurtis Roberts (U.S.) KR212V 8
20. Michel Fabrizio (Italy) Honda 6

[Red Rider]

Hayden kicked ass today...finished 3rd after starting 14th. Can't wait to see him at Laguna.

[dicknose]

Seems the heat of race day got to most of the bridgestone bikes.
The race was a bit boring to watch as there wasnt any real head-head racing.

[.OrgOwner]

Casey Stoner seems to be pretty good at keeping the bike upright and finishing races in all conditions, it would appear he has a cool head for racing, a great team and machinery, it's going to take a big effort for someone to bridge the gap if he keeps racking up points. Does anyone think he can lose it from here?

[macca9540]

Originally Posted by .OrgOwner

Casey Stoner seems to be pretty good at keeping the bike upright and finishing races in all conditions, it would appear he has a cool head for racing, a great team and machinery, it's going to take a big effort for someone to bridge the gap if he keeps racking up points. Does anyone think he can lose it from here?

I'd like to think not, but you can never discount Rossi. Casey is doing it the right way at the moment. To finish first, first you have to finish. as they say.

[dicknose]

Still plenty of races. All it takes is a fall (even if its taken out by someone else) and Rossi to win and he has closed most of the points difference.

Still a long way to go - but Casey is definitely looking like champion material. He is finishing races and when things suit him he is winning races.

[fireblade3876]

I totally agree with DK there, Stoner is riding a very mature race this year and not treating the bike like a skateboard anymore and it also seems wee Dani has started to step up his game, but it was awesome to see both Honda's on the podium and to see Hayden fighting up the front once again.

I do feel for Colin Edwards though because he needs to step up his game or he will battle for a ride next year and he is a charachter i am sure we will all be sad to see go, beleive it or not here in the UK Colin is always cheered for and is a good ambassador for the sport.

So lets see what happens next week then any predictions?????

Mine are
Hayden
Stoner
Pedrosa or Edwards

[.OrgOwner]

So lets see what happens next week then any predictions?????

Mine are
Hayden
Stoner
Pedrosa or Edwards

We need to start a thread for this