Malaysian GP. Races

Important double victory of Fonsi Nieto and Toni Elías in Malaysia
Melandri does not score, thus closing the gaps in the overall standings. Rossi finishes second in MotoGP and Pedrosa third in the 125.
 Everything seemed to be lost for Fonsi Nieto in his fight for the 2002 World Championship title before the race, but a mechanical failure of Melandris bike right in the beginning of the race and the victory of the Repsol rider Nieto, have closed the gap in the overall standings to 27 points. Fonsi made a good start taking the lead of the race at the end of the straight. From that moment on he set a very fast pace, leaving the rest of the pack behind after only a couple of corners. He was followed by his team-mate Toni Elias, with Melandri in third place. Before the end of the first lap, Melandri was forced to enter the pit lane due to an electrical failure of his Aprilia. From then on, Nieto only had to dose his advantage until the chequered flag. His team-mate caught up with him but team orders hindered a fight for the victory between Elias and Nieto. This double victory in Malaysia has been the best result the Repsol riders of the 250 cc have taken together in the 2002 World Championship. Getting a place on the podium has been the toughest job today in the MotoGP class. After Alex Barros, winner of the last Grand Prix held in Japan, had taken the lead of the race, a hard fight for the following positions took place behind him between Biaggi, Ukawa, Kato and Rossi, who arrived powerful from the back. At mid-race Biaggi took over the lead, Ukawa passed Barros as well, Kato lost ground and Rossi caught up with the group. Rossi began his charge on the last laps, having to overtake his team-mate Ukawa, who consistently resisted several times. After passing Ukawa and with only two laps to go, the Italian tried in vain to overtake his fellow countryman Biaggi, who crossed the finish line first. Behind Rossi, Ukawa made a mistake during the last laps that made him loose his third place in favour of the Brazilian Barros. In the 125cc Pedrosa fought really hard to clinch victory and close gaps in the standings, but unfortunately wasnt able to do what he did in Japan: escape and win all by himself. Vincent took the lead of the race and hardly left it until the end. In the back, Pedrosa, Cecchinello and Poggiali were fighting for the remaining podium places. In a last try to take third, Poggiali suffered a light crash, but the Gilera rider was able to rejoin the race, crossing the finish line in ninth place. But the big surprise came later, when the Race Direction decided to declare the penultimate lap as the last lap of the race, because of a mistake made at the end of the race, when the chequered flag was  shown to a group of riders ahead of Vincent, Pedrosa, Cecchinello and Poggiali. With these changes, the result of the penultimate lap had Vincent as the winner as well but the second place was this time for Cecchinello, followed by Pedrosa and Poggiali. Joan Olivé, who started from the fourth row after making the sixteenth fastest time in practice, made up some positions and rode a lonely race, crossing the finish line thirteenth.