Jerez GP - Alvaro Comes Home 2nd In Major Heart Stopper

Well, even though he wasn't on the top step of the podium, Alvaro Bautista still looked pleased as punch today at Jerez where he came home second behind Hiroshi Aoyama in the 250cc Grand Prix.
It was a real ding-dong of a battle between the two of them in the closing laps, having shaken off Barbera and Simoncelli.
The cheering of the fans clearly got to Bati and he made big efforts to go and acknowledge them all across the main straight once he was off his bike, having already taken massive applause elsewhere around the track.
He really seemed on the defensive in the closing stages, his bike not nearly looking as sharp as the Honda which was - in the capable hands of Hiro - very very good indeed.
A great race. Not the best result. But still somehow a very positive day - and Alvaro's reaction and conduct showing why he's just the kind of guy you want to support - as cheerful and graceful in defeat (after a great, fair and hard battle) as he is in victory.
Nice work Alvarito. Nice work... :-)


Here's the results...

Pos | Rider | Bike | Time

1. Hiroshi Aoyama Honda 45m08.805s
2. Alvaro Bautista Aprilia + 0.132s
3. Marco Simoncelli Gilera + 2.706s
4. Hector Barbera Aprilia + 2.769s
5. Thomas Luthi Aprilia + 17.946s
6. Mattia Pasini Aprilia + 17.950s
7. Gabor Talmacsi Aprilia + 26.288s
8. Jules Cluzel Aprilia + 26.472s
9. Roberto Locatelli Gilera + 27.646s
10. Raffaele de Rosa Honda + 32.369s
11. Mike di Meglio Aprilia + 32.617s
12. Shoya Tomizawa Honda + 34.241s
13. Lukas Pesek Aprilia + 36.889s
14. Hector Faubel Honda + 37.237s
15. Ratthapark Wilairot Honda +1m16.786s
16. Imre Toth Aprilia +1m25.509s
17. Bastien Chesaux Honda + 1 lap
18. Aitor Rodriguez Aprilia + 1 lap
19. Vladimir Leonov Aprilia + 1 lap
20. Valentin Debise Honda + 1 lap


Retirements:

Axel Pons Aprilia 22 laps
Ivan Maestro Aprilia 18 laps
Alex Baldolini Aprilia 10 laps
Alex Debon Aprilia 9 laps
Karel Abraham Aprilia 3 laps