MotoGP: The Dani Pedrosa show (Brno GP)!

Do you remember what the basketball world was like when news broke that his royal ‘airness’ Michael Jordan was retiring? Do you recall the pandemonium that erupted when F1 woke up to the reality that Michael Schumacher was about to ditch the restricted cockpit of Ferrari’s F1 machine and retire to the comfort of his massive living room which was loaded with high- tech cinema gadgets which would embarrass Carib 5!

My reaction to the 2 scenarios above was the same. Worry not – when 1 door is closed many more are open! Look at the NBA and F1 today and my point should be H.I.D. clear!

Casey Stoner announced earlier this year (foolishly in my view), that he intends to retire at the end of the 2012 MotoGP season. Casey Stoner is Australia’s gift to MotoGP and he has accomplished all that is available on a crotch rocket. So, the news that this was his final season blew the MotoGP world to minute distorted bits. My stance on retirements of this nature remained resolute.

Jorge Lorenzo is the most significant opportunist in MotoGP. If he is given a sniff at victory or a championship, he does not need an invitation to make his intention known. He grabbed his machine by its prototype handlebar and with consistent effort, he dismantled Stoner’s title defense.

Pedrosa

The rider who has emerged as the dark horse though, in my view, is Stoner’s teammate Dani Pedrosa. Pedrosa is known for his dynamite starts, but with Stoner’s Achilles heel exposed, Pedrosa heard his moment of glory beckoning.

Stoner is not having an easy 2012 season and things took a turn for the dramatic in the recent USA GP. The ankle injury he sustained, forced him to miss the Brno Round this weekend.

Stoner’s Crash

Dani Pedrosa rose to the occasion to defend Honda’s honor. For the most part, the Brno GP was a 2 horse race, between Lorenzo and Pedrosa. But, for the keen, it was evident that Pedrosa had more than an ace up his leathers. When he got the green light from his crew, he made his move and took the lead.

When Lorenzo regained the lead on the last lap, Pedrosa summoned the dramatic and epic. And in what I will refer to as the Dani Pedrosa Show, we saw what is arguably, the best final lap of 2012 thus far. Pedrosa humbled Lorenzo with a forceful pass and took victory.

With Stoner away, Lorenzo, Pedrosa and others will play! Who do you think will win the 2012 championship?

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer