Dani Pedrosa overcomes slow start to snatch Japanese Grand Prix
Spanish Honda rider scores his first win of the season but Italian great Rossi retains lead at the top of the standings
Dani Pedrosa came from behind to grab his first win of the season in stunning fashion at the Japan Grand Prix on Sunday, while championship leader Valentino Rossi finished second.
The Spanish Honda rider clocked 46 minutes, 50.767 seconds for his 50th career victory on a drying track after rain, 8.573 seconds ahead of Rossi on Yamaha and 12.127 seconds in front of Rossi’s teammate Jorge Lorenzo.
At the beginning, I was slow. But my lap time was not too bad
The results meant the Italian stretched his championship points lead over his closest rival Lorenzo to 18, with three more races to go, followed by distant third Marc Marquez.
Lorenzo, fastest rider in all four practice sessions in dry conditions, controlled the first half of the race as drizzle fell and appeared destined for another victory.
The Spanish Yamaha rider, who won the Japan Grand Prix in 2014, 2013 and 2009 and finished second in 2012 and 2011, went wide on the first corner after the start and allowed Rossi briefly to take the lead.
But Lorenzo quickly overtook the Italian on the following straight and began building up a long lead – until Pedrosa started to speed up halfway through the race.
