SHANGHAI, 15 May 2006 — Spaniard Dani Pedrosa became the second youngest winner in the history of motorcycling’s premier class with victory in the Shanghai Grand Prix here yesterday.
Pedrosa, 20, started in pole and pushed his Honda through the 22 laps of the 5.28-kilometer Shanghai International Circuit in 44mins 07.734secs, while world champion Valentino Rossi was forced out with tire problems.
Pedrosa’s Honda teammate and world championship points leader Nicky Hayden of the United States finished in second place 1.505 seconds behind, with American Colin Edwards on a Yamaha well back in third position.
For seven-time world champion Rossi, whose Yamaha M1 has been plagued with mechanical problems all season, it was another day of misery after his promising charge from 13th on the starting grid ended with tire problems.
