Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo won the MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix on Sunday in wet conditions to claim his first victory of the season.
The Yamaha rider’s decision to come into the pits and change bikes with just four laps to go proved correct as he cruised home in the final stages ahead of compatriot Aleix Espargaro with Britain’s Cal Crutchlow in third on a Ducati.
World championship leader Marc Marquez of Spain finished 13th after crashing his Honda in the wet conditions, but still extended his overall lead by a point from teammate Dani Pedrosa as he also crashed and finished 14th.
The rain, which arrived in the closing 10 laps, was the turning point of the race as Lorenzo, running third behind Marquez and Pedrosa, was the first of the leaders to head into the pits to adjust to the conditions.
Pedrosa and Marquez stayed out on the track, but both soon crashed to finish well down the grid, which allowed two-time world champion Lorenzo a much-needed win.
“I was fighting with Marc for the lead and when it started to rain I didn’t feel the same as Dani and Marc,” said Lorenzo.
“I wanted to be more prudent and thought I’ll go for the third place. The first lap after the change was difficult to get the tyres warmed up in the wet and when I passed the home straight it said I was 12th. The next time round it said I was first, so I was a little surprised.”
Marquez’s surge towards the title was only slightly halted, though, as he leads Pedrosa by 75 points and could clinch his second world title in as many years as a MotoGP rider at the Japanese Grand Prix in two weeks.
“I didn’t have experience in these conditions with the dry and then wet. I thought I could keep going, but the risk was too much,” said the 21-year-old.
“I need to win [in Japan]. The important thing is that there are four races to go and I am close.”
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