Lorenzo wins to set record points haul

Sun Nov 7, 2010 3:27pm GMT

 

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By Mark Elkington

VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) - World champion Jorge Lorenzo won the last race of the MotoGP season in Valencia on Sunday to claim his ninth victory of the campaign and set a record points tally of 383 for the year.

The Spaniard, who wrapped up the title last month, passed Valentino Rossi's previous record of 373 set when the Italian won the title in 2008.

Lorenzo survived a brush with Marco Simoncelli when he almost slid off the track and passed Casey Stoner, who had started on pole, to hit the front with eight laps to go.

The 23-year-old Yamaha rider pulled away to finish comfortably ahead of Australia's Stoner, who was competing for the last time on a Ducati before moving to Honda.

"I'm on a cloud. I feel much more emotional winning here than when I won the title in Malaysia," Lorenzo told Spanish state television.

"Over there I felt very cold, but here after a mad race, and after many problems on each lap, the sacrifice was worth it because I won here in front of all those fans.

"It's a race I will remember for the rest of my life."

Rossi finished third in his final race for Yamaha after seven successful seasons and hugged his bike on the side of the track after the race. He moves to Ducati next year.   Continued...

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