Pedrosa wraps up second in Championship

With a brave ride to seventh position at Valencia the Repsol Honda rider secured runner-up spot in the 2010 World Championship, as his team-mate Andrea Dovizioso finished fifth in the final race of the year.

Repsol Honda riders Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa finished today’s Grand Prix of Valencia in fifth and seventh places after an enthralling 30-lap race that saw both riders carving their way through the MotoGP field. The final race of the season produced exiting duels throughout, and the Repsol Honda riders were in the thick of it from outset.

Dovizioso made a fast start from ninth on the grid and fought his way up

to sixth at the end of lap one. Though diminishing grip in the final phase of the race meant Dovizioso could not take the fight to Ben Spies who passed him with four laps to go, his fifth place today was a creditable result considering his midfield starting position. With seven rostrum finishes to his name this year, Dovizioso has completed a positive season and secured a comfortable fifth place in the World Championship.

A brilliant performance from Pedrosa saw him light up the early part of the race and for the first eight laps it looked like the 25-year-old Spaniard was capable of pulling off a stunning victory. An exceptional first lap from Pedrosa - even by his fast-starting standards - saw him climb from eighth on the grid to fourth after the first corner before launching an audacious attack into turn two and claiming two more places. However fatigue began to set in for Pedrosa, who is still riding well below 100 per cent fitness after his recent collarbone injury and subsequent surgery. Unable to maintain his early pace, he gradually slipped to seventh place at the chequered flag, which was good enough to comfortably secure second place in the World Championship. Source: MotoGP.com