Sebastián Porto back on the podium and Dani Pedrosa crashes at the beginning of the 250 cc race.
Héctor Faubel, fourth in 125cc, and Nicky Hayden, fourth in MotoGP, made it almost to the podium.
MotoGP was the most vibrating of the three races staged today at the Malayan circuit of Sepang. Under a burning heat that raised the thermometers up to 38º C and the asphalt temperature to 50º C, the race started with Capirossi, winner of last week’s Japanese Grand Prix, setting a strong pace, leading the pack. The group stretched out quickly lead by Capirossi, followed by Melandri and Hayden, with Rossi and Checa further in the back.
During the first laps, Gibernau and Nakano disappeared after touching each other, and while Hayden was overtaking Melandri, heading to the front, Rossi began shortening the gap to the lead of the race lap after lap. Max Biaggi, ninth after the first lap, was riding in a busy group joined by Roberts, Hopkins and Barros. With eight laps to go, Carlos Checa managed to catch-up with Hayden, who was riding third behind Capirossi and Rossi, and finally pass him two laps later, after several frustrated attempts. Capirossi finally managed to take his second victory of the season, Rossi finished second, becoming World Champion for the seventh time, and Carlos Checa was third. Nicky Hayden crossed the finish line fourth and his team-mate Max Biaggi was sixth.
The 250cc race started with a premature retirement of Repsol rider and class leader Dani Pedrosa, who crashed during the second lap after loosing grip in the front end of his bike. Dani rejoined the race but his bike was too damaged after the incident. Despite the premature retirement, hindering him from scoring any point at this Grand Prix, the Repsol rider still has an advantage of 38 points over the second classified rider, Australian Casey Stoner, winner of today’s race.
The Australian did not want to give any option to his rivals, setting a strong pace and opening a gap from the first lap that allowed him to make his race in solitary until taking the chequered flag as the winner. Further in the back, in solitary as well, De Angelis controlled the group of followers made up by both riders of the Repsol Aspar Team, Sebastián Porto and Randy de Puniet, and Repsol rider Hiroshi Aoyama. In the last laps, Porto and De Puniet left Aoyama behind in the fight for the third place of the podium, which finally went to the Argentinean rider, while De Puniet was fourth and Aoyama fifth.
The 125cc race did not have the same excitement and intensiveness of the race staged one week ago in Japan. Luthi took the lead with a strong pace from the first corner forcing the group to stretch out quickly after the start. Once the Swiss rider had escaped, three riders went out in pursuit of Luthi, namely Talmacsi, Simón and Kallio, followed by Pasini and a bit further in the back Repsol rider Héctor Faubel. Kallio left the group of followers halfway the race and managed to catch-up with the race leader, while Faubel and Pasini, were lap-by-lap getting closer to Talmacsi and Simón, who were intensively fighting for the third step of the podium. Faubel even managed to put himself in third with one lap to go, but Passini overtook him on the finish line taking the third place by a difference of 25 thousands of a second, Faubel having to settle for the fourth final position. Sergio Gadea crossed the finish line sixteenth and Joan Olivé seventeenth. The victory went to Swiss rider Luthi, who thus keeps the leadership of the 125cc World Championship.
Rider´s comments:
MotoGP. Nicky Hayden
4th, 43’36.750:
‘The first few laps were kinda’ fun really. There were guys going for it everywhere. I think I got hit by Sete at one stage and I lost a bit of the tyre right it the centre that caused a little chatter. The bike came a long way this weekend – my guys did a great job. I couldn’t hold the pace in the end. I tried my hardest and tried to hold onto the podium but it wasn’t to be. The tyre I ran today was a lot better than I’ve had all weekend. Michelin did a great job to give us something for the race – really gave us a chance to fight. Fourth is not what I wanted but I learned a lot in the race – mixing it with Valentino, Capirossi and Checa.
MotoGP. Max Biaggi,
6th, 43’44.349:
‘I remember so well being at this track back in February when I hobbled onto the factory RCV for the first time recovering from my broken foot. I was very high on emotion and we were fast on the bike. Sure it was not perfect but it was the start of the year and we had time before the season started to make a good package. When we arrive here we are in a bad shape with the bike. It is not the same machine as it was at the start of the year. As this weekend passed it seems to get worse. In the race there were times when I nearly crashed. Sometimes when things are not right you have to work even harder to make the points and just to get home. Today I make it back with a machine that does not go the way I want and me and my team under Erv tried so hard. We still have second place in the championship and this is a position I will defend right till the end of the season with all my spirit.’
250. Sebastián Porto
3rd, 43’27.249:
‘It’s been a very hard race because it was very hot. I had a bit of trouble trying to catch the group because we still haven’t managed to get the bike going well in the first laps on new tyres. I also had some trouble with De Puniet and Aoyama, but halfway the race I managed to pass them and started to make my own race. I’m happy about being back on the podium after so much time. Let’s see if this is a motivation for all of us, to keep on doing a good job for the four races left.’
250. Randy De Puniet
4th, 43’30.707:
‘I’m happy, but not completely, because I had the chance to step on the podium today. I didn’t make a good start and was ninth, but I managed to make-up some places in the first lap, moving up to sixth behind Porto and Aoyama. I passed them both, and moved up to third. Then I made a little mistake and Porto passed me, but I stayed behind him lap after lap waiting for the moment to pass him. I was convinced that I would be able to finish on the podium here in Sepang, because I was faster than him in the last section of the circuit. But two laps before the end of the race my engine stalled and I lost every chance to pass him. The most important of all is that the bike is working well – except for the incident – but I have a good feeling and I’m sure that I’ll be able to get a good result in Qatar if nothing strange happens. Today has been a shame, but such are races.’
250. Hiroshi Aoyama
5th, 43’33.247:
‘The track lacked a bit of grip, the temperature of the bike increase and the engine wasn’t working as during the practices. I saw Dani crashing in front of me and I got a bit scared because I wasn’t riding comfortably either, so I decided not to push to hard and finish in the best possible place’.250. Dani Pedrosa, crashed out: ‘It’s been an unexpected crash and unnecessary, I still don’t know the reason. I was riding with ease, letting Stoner and De Angelis push, because they were riding fast and I didn’t feel comfortable yet, because the bike was skidding a lot and when I reached the corner, I entered normally, let the brake go, and when I was going to open the throttle, I lost the front end and I couldn’t avoid crashing. I wasn’t pushing too hard. We had a carburetion problem and after the two long straights, the bike was flooding. We leave Malaysia without scoring and with a smaller difference, but I trust that bad luck will end here and that we’ll be able to give it all in Qatar. It’s a shame because I had been constantly improving this weekend. These days of rest had been great for the injury and this has been the fourth crash in two weeks.’
125. Héctor Faubel
4th, 43’11.923:
‘It’s been a very hard race due to the strong pace and the suffocating heat. Starting from ninth wasn’t good for me and I had to push hard to catch-up with Pasini, Simón and Talmacsi. It seemed that I had escaped a bit towards the end but I staked everything in the last corner: I waited until the last moment to brake, but the front suspension bumped and I couldn’t take the corner as I use to. I lost the podium by only a little bit, but I’m happy with the work we’ve done.’
Track conditions
- Weather: sunny
- Temp: 27º-38º
- Track: 35º-50º
- Humidity: 14%-30%
- Wind: 7 Km/h
Tyre´s choice
- Max Biaggi: Medium – Medium
- Nicky Hayden: Medio Hard
- Sebastián Porto: Hard – Hard
- Randy De Puniet: Hard – Hard
- Dani Pedrosa: Hard – Hard
- Hiroshi Aoyama: Hard – Hard
- Héctor Faubel: Hard – Hard
- Sergio Gadea. Hard – Hard
Standings:
125
- T. Luthi: 43’02.214
- M. Kallio + 0.002
- M. Pasini + 9.684
- H. Faubel + 9.709
- G. Talmacsi + 9.892
16. S. Gadea + 24.481
17. J. Olivé + 24.615
25. M. Túnez + 1’11.588
28. J. Carchano + 1’32.733
World Championship:
- T. Luthi, 189 puntos
- M. Kallio, 181
- G. Talmacsi, 131
- M. Pasini, 127
- M. Simoncelli, 124
9. H. Faubel, 79
13. S. Gadea, 57
14. J. Olivé, 45
26. J. Carchano, 6
250
- C. Stoner: 43’23.138
- A. De Angelis + 3.133
- S. Porto + 4.111
- R. De Puniet + 7.569
- H. Aoyama + 10.109
D. Pedrosa. caída
World Championship:
- D. Pedrosa 226 puntos
- C. Stoner, 188
- Dovizioso, 144
- H. Aoyama, 134
- A. De Angelis, 129
- R. De Puniet, 121
- S. Porto, 121
MotoGP:
- L. Capirossi: 43’27.523
- V. Rossi + 1.999
- C. Checa + 2.069
- N. Hayden + 9.227
- M. Melandri + 15.886
- M. Biaggi + 16.826
World Championship
- V. Rossi 281, puntos
- M. Biaggi, 159
- L. Capirossi, 142
- C. Edwards, 149
- M. Melandri, 137
- N. Hayden, 134
