Reverend
July 22nd, 2008, 23:13 PM
Valentino Rossi ended Casey Stoner's four-race winning streak to earn his first win at the Laguna Seca track after a thrilling US MotoGP.
In the last race before the summer break, the pair fought a fierce battle for the lead until Stoner was forced into the gravel with eight laps to go.
But they were so far ahead that he returned to the race still in second, ahead of third-placed Chris Vermeulen.
Rossi now leads nearest rival Stoner by 25 points in the championship table.
The Italian's Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo is thought to have broken a bone in his foot after coming off in spectacular fashion early in the race.
The battle for the lead between Rossi and Stoner was the closest and most exciting there has been this season, but afterwards Stoner was clearly not entirely happy with the way it had been fought.
"I completely made the mistake, it was all my own (going off the track)", he told BBC Sport.
"But at the beginning of the race, with some of those overtaking moves, I was so nearly on the floor that it wasn't funny.
"I know it's hard racing, I've been in hard racing all my life, but some of that was past the point. I don't think it was necessary."
But Rossi was adamant he had done nothing wrong.
"This is racing, every overtake was very clear for me - I never touched him," he said.
"The reality is I am stronger in braking, so I try to use this advantage. I deserved it, I think he made the mistake alone - it happens."
US MotoGP result:
1. V Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 44mins 04.311secs
2. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 44:17.312
3. C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 44:30.920
4. A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda 44:39.212
5. N Hayden (U.S.) Honda 44:39.974
6. R de Puniet (France) Honda 44:41.979
7. T Elias (Spain) Ducati 44:45.940
8. B Spies (U.S.) Suzuki 44:46.238
Championship standings:
1. V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 212 pts
2. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 187
3. D Pedrosa (Spin) Honda 171
4. J Lorenzo (Spn) Yamaha 114
5. A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda 103
6. C Edwards (US) Yamaha 100
7. C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 89
8. N Hayden (US) Honda 84
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/7516510.stm)
In the last race before the summer break, the pair fought a fierce battle for the lead until Stoner was forced into the gravel with eight laps to go.
But they were so far ahead that he returned to the race still in second, ahead of third-placed Chris Vermeulen.
Rossi now leads nearest rival Stoner by 25 points in the championship table.
The Italian's Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo is thought to have broken a bone in his foot after coming off in spectacular fashion early in the race.
The battle for the lead between Rossi and Stoner was the closest and most exciting there has been this season, but afterwards Stoner was clearly not entirely happy with the way it had been fought.
"I completely made the mistake, it was all my own (going off the track)", he told BBC Sport.
"But at the beginning of the race, with some of those overtaking moves, I was so nearly on the floor that it wasn't funny.
"I know it's hard racing, I've been in hard racing all my life, but some of that was past the point. I don't think it was necessary."
But Rossi was adamant he had done nothing wrong.
"This is racing, every overtake was very clear for me - I never touched him," he said.
"The reality is I am stronger in braking, so I try to use this advantage. I deserved it, I think he made the mistake alone - it happens."
US MotoGP result:
1. V Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 44mins 04.311secs
2. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 44:17.312
3. C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 44:30.920
4. A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda 44:39.212
5. N Hayden (U.S.) Honda 44:39.974
6. R de Puniet (France) Honda 44:41.979
7. T Elias (Spain) Ducati 44:45.940
8. B Spies (U.S.) Suzuki 44:46.238
Championship standings:
1. V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 212 pts
2. C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 187
3. D Pedrosa (Spin) Honda 171
4. J Lorenzo (Spn) Yamaha 114
5. A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda 103
6. C Edwards (US) Yamaha 100
7. C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 89
8. N Hayden (US) Honda 84
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/7516510.stm)