Rookie Lorenzo wins Portuguese Moto GP

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

ESTORIL, Portugal (AFP) — Spanish Yamaha rookie Jorge Lorenzo won Sunday's Portuguese MotoGP, beating compatriot Dani Pedrosa of Honda and Italian star Valentino Rossi at the Estoril circuit outside Lisbon.

Double 250cc champion Lorenzo, carving out a burgeoning reputation in the top class category having Saturday bagged his third straight pole in setting a new lap record of 1min 35.715sec, gleefully sank to his knees to salute a sizeable Spanish contingent after a maiden career triumph.

He has yet to finish off the podium - whereas Rossi stretched his winless streak to seven races.

Lorenzo was quickly out of the blocks to shrug off Rossi's early attack on Pedrosa, who slipped briefly out of the podium placings as the rain began to fall.

The slippery...