Lorenzo gets an early lead over Pedrosa and Stoner

photo: motogp.com

The “aliens” were firmly in charge at the Moto GP race in Estoril this past weekend, as Jorge Lorenzo led Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa, and Valentino Rossi across the line.

Several races ago, as these four clearly put their collective stamp on the 2009 season, Marco Melandri was heard to mutter that the four of them must be aliens, they were so much faster than everyone else. The quip has stuck.

The big news on the weekend was the return of Casey Stoner, who’s been gone for two months, missing three races in an attempt to discover the cause of the mysterious illness that’s been affecting him this season. You’d never have known he was away, however, as he exploded back onto the scene as naturally as if he’d been riding every day.

The race itself was something of a snooze, actually. Jorge Lorenzo took his Fiat Yamaha to fastest lap in every practice and qualifying session, left from the pole and disappeared into the distance. The following riders spread out relatively quickly, once Stoner dispatched Pedrosa from second, and that was that.

Rossi just couldn't get ahead.

photo: motogp.com 

As usual, there was action farther back in the field. Mika Kallio looked set for a top five finish on his satellite Pramac Ducati until he crashed unhurt, while Randy de Puniet (of all things) had a boot unzip and wasted a couple of laps trying to fix it, dropping to the end of the field then riding like a fiend to nearly get back into the top 10.

Colin Edwards had an excellent if lonely ride to fifth on the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha, while Andrea Dovizioso on the second factory Repsol Honda was mired in mid-field, barely beating the Ducati of Nicky Hayden, who once again found that his wayward bike for some mysterious reason felt totally different in the race than it had in practice.

The Fiat Yamaha team bikes were painted in a trick silver and white paint job to promote Fiat’s new Punto model, and Jorge Lorenzo went one better with a matching set of leathers designed to look like a space suit, and a helmet painted like Neil Armstrong’s in honour of the first visit to the moon 40 years ago.

Lorenzo floats off the podium and into the mothership ... adding to the rumours.

photo: motogp.com 

Lorenzo even came up onto the podium wearing the helmet, and walking in slow-motion in not a bad imitation of a low-gravity walk. I guess it helps to be an alien.

Rossi, who suffered rear traction problems all weekend and for once was never in the hunt, wasn’t amused at his team-mate’s antics, on top of his race domination. The score narrowed Rossi’s lead in the championship hunt to only 18 points – “Yes, the championship is less impossible now!” grinned Lorenzo – with three races left on the calendar.

The next event is at the superb Philip Island track in Australia October 18. Current standings are:

1. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Fiat Yamaha, 250 points; 2. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain, Fiat Yamaha, 232; 3. Dani Pedrosa, Spain, Repsol Honda, 173; 4. Casey Stoner, Australia, Marlboro Ducati, 170; 5. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy, Repsol Honda, 142; 6. Colin Edwards, USA, Tech 3 Yamaha, 134; 7. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Rizla Suzuki, 97; 8. Randy de Puniet, France, LCR Honda, 93; 9. Marco Melandri, Italy, Hayate Kawasaki, 91; 10. (tie) Tony Elias, Spain, Gresini Honda and Chris Vermeulen, Australia, Rizla Suzuki, 90.