Reigning champ Rossi returns to top of points after first victory of season

INDIANAPOLIS, May 3, 2009 – Six-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi needed to pass all three of his main rivals to earn a hard-fought victory May 3 in the Spanish Grand Prix, also seizing the lead in series points.

Rossi’s Yamaha ended up 2.7 seconds ahead of Spanish rival Dani Pedrosa’s Honda before a massive crowd at Jerez. It was 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP winner Rossi’s first victory of the season and his sixth career MotoGP victory at Jerez.

“It’s great to win again and especially here in Jerez, which I love,” Rossi said.

2007 World Champion Casey Stoner finished third on his Ducati, 10.507 seconds behind Rossi. It was the first podium finish for Stoner at Jerez in any World Championship class.

“It is only third place, but it feels even better than the win in Qatar,” Stoner said.

Rossi needed to dig deep for this victory. He was unhappy with the setup of his bike after qualifying fourth. But crew chief Jeremy Burgess and the Fiat Yamaha Team found the sweet spot for Rossi’s bike overnight, and “The Doctor” was quickest in the morning warm-up.

Pedrosa rocketed past pole winner Jorge Lorenzo to take the early lead in the race, with Stoner climbing to second. Meanwhile, Rossi passed teammate Lorenzo for third on Lap 2.

Rossi then set his sights on Stoner, and the two World Champions engaged in a spirited duel for second, swapping the spot in the new few laps. Rossi passed Stoner for good on Lap 7, then trailing leader Pedrosa by 1.2 seconds.

Pedrosa maintained that lead during the midway portion of the race before Rossi found a quicker rhythm and started shaving tenths of a second from the gap. With 10 laps to go in the 27-lap race, Rossi passed Pedrosa for the lead for good.

On his victory lap, Rossi repeated one of the most famous post-race stunts of his career, stopping in a trackside portable toilet, which drove the passionate Spanish fans wild.

Lorenzo, who led the points entering this event, crashed his Fiat Yamaha Team machine with four laps remaining while chasing Stoner for third place. He fell into a tie for third in points.

American Colin Edwards finished seventh on his Yamaha Tech 3 machine, maintaining sixth place in the series standings. Fellow American Nicky Hayden’s tough start to the season continued, as 2006 World Champion Hayden finished 15th on his Ducati Team bike.

Hayden continues to try to recover from an injured back and chest suffered in a qualifying crash in the season-opening Grand Prix of Qatar on April 12 and another crash at the Grand Prix of Japan on April 26.

The next race is the Grand Prix of France on Sunday, May 17 at Le Mans. The second annual Red Bull Indianapolis GP is Sunday, Aug. 30 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.