Malaysian MotoGP in Sepang - what went wrong for Jorge Lorenzo

October 25, 4:11 PMDC Motorcycle Travel ExaminerMark Poesch

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Continuing bad luck for Jorge Lorenzo: Last week, Jorge clipped the rear of Nicky Hayden’s bike during the start, and broke his front brake. The collision ran Nicky of the track, and resulted in Lorenzo’s crash during the entry to turn one. Today, Jorge’s first bike wouldn’t start, and as the rest of the riders were taking their positions on the grid for their warm-up lap, Lorenzo was back in his pit area with further troubles on the second bike.

To add insult to injury, race officials announced that due to his return to pits, Jorge would have to start from the back of the grid.

Jorge Lorenzo of Spain adjusts his helmet inside the garage during the qualifying session of the Malaysian MotoGP motorcycle racing at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009. Lorenzo was the second fastest in the session. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Giving up his front-row starting position for a back row start would be unrecoverable.

Well, in fact, that’s not entirely true.

Right from the start, Lorenzo fought through the field with an absolutely fierce and fearless determination, passing Rossi as he struggled for traction in the second lap. Although briefly separated by Marco Melandri after he passed Rossi, Lorenzo and Rossi ran in seventh and eighth after Rossi re-took Melandri.

As Lorenzo and Rossi moved forward through the field, Hayden and Lorenzo fought a fierce battle for 5th in laps four and five. Then, Lorenzo moved forward to work on Tony Elias, passing with fifteen laps remaining.

Italy's Valentino Rossi in action on his way to winning the World MotoGP Championship with his third place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix motorcycle racing at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. Australia's Casey Stoner won the race. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

But then, with fourteen laps remaining, Rossi passed Lorenzo to take fourth!  And then, a crash by fourth-place Andrea Dovizioso would bring Rossi into third, and Lorenzo into fourth.

So, in spite of starting last, Jorge finished fourth in the race.

We are left only to wonder at how the race with Stoner and Pedrosa would have played out if Lorenzo had stayed in his second position on the grid!

What is clear is that with a wet track, and a start from the back of the grid, Jorge Lorenzo was undaunted.  He maintained a razors-edge balance between fierce aggression and masterful discipline to complete the race with a solid fourth place finish.  Bravo Jorge!

Italy's Valentino Rossi, left, is greeted by his teammate Jorge Lorenzo of Spain after winning the World MotoGP Championship with his third place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix motorcycle racing at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. Australia's Casey Stoner won the race, while Lorenzo came in fourth. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) 

For more information:
- Malaysian MotoGP in Sepang - what almost went wrong for Rossi
- Rossi wins the 2009 MotoGP World Championship at Sepang
- Malaysian MotoGP in Sepang - what went wrong for Casey Stoner