The Australian conquers again with the Repsol Honda Team the MotoGP World Championship after achieving an unquestionable win. He is accompanied on the podium by Dovizioso, third, and Pedrosa finishes fourth.
Ninth victory of the season for Casey Stoner, who extends his successful run in the Grand Prix of his country and wins a second MotoGP World Championship title in his first year with the Repsol Honda Team. After Jorge Lorenzo’s crash in the ‘warm-up’, which prevented the Spaniard from taking part in the race, the Australian only needed to be sixth to mathematically secure the premier category title. Nevertheless, he left nothing to chance and achieved a crushing victory in a race where Andrea Dovizioso finished third and Dani Pedrosa, fourth.
At the start, Casey Stoner was decided to secure a title brilliantly achieved during a season where he has not been out of the podium except in Jerez, where he was hit by Rossi when he was in second position, arriving to Australia with 8 victories in 15 races. The ninth started to take shape today from the first laps, in which he quickly built some margin in front, with an advantage that not even the rain was able to reduce. The white flags that allowed the change of bike from the ninth lap, as there was intermittent rain in some areas of the circuit, gave a great deal of suspense to this new stroll to victory for the Australian, who achieved his fifth consecutive victory in Phillip Island.
Behind him, Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa fought to get on the podium from the beginning of the race. The Italian completed the first lap in the same position he started, as he overtook Bautista but was surpassed by Hayden, whom he was able to pass in the third lap. Pedrosa, who started eight, was sixth at that moment after recovering two places and was at the wheel of his countryman. Overtaking him in the fourth lap, he tried to do the same with Hayden in the following lap. The American tried to resist, but a lap later Pedrosa was able to pass him and place himself behind Dovizioso, who was trying to catch Marco Simoncelli, second.
When the three riders got together, Pedrosa overtook his team mate, but eight laps later Dovizioso surpassed him in a thrilling fight for the third place of the podium, which allowed Simoncelli to get some advantage again. With many problems with the front tyre’s grip, Pedrosa was not able to keep the pace of his two Italian rivals.
The return of the intermittent rain three laps before the end allowed Dovizioso to catch again his countryman, whom he overtook in a risky manoeuvre, considering the conditions of the tarmac in some areas of the track. A position that he was not able to keep in the last lap, which he finished in the third place of the podium, in front of Dani Pedrosa, who rode alone until the chequered flag.
Stoner’s crown is the ninth of the Repsol Honda Team since 1995; a spectacular track record that adds the name of the Australian to that of champions such as Mick Doohan, Alex Crivillé, Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, who achieved the last title for the team in 2006. With this new world championship, Stoner closes an era in MotoGP, that of the 800cc, achieving the long-awaited title for HRC after several years fighting to develop a machine that this season, together with Dani Pedrosa, secured 12 victories in 16 races.
Dani Pedrosa >> Audio
4th at 13.160 sec.
“It’s been very tough today, I didn’t feel comfortable throughout the weekend and the race didn’t start in the best way either. I had a problem with the wind at the start, I almost lost balance and I had to put the left foot on the floor at the same time as the red light went out, so I had a bad start. The first few laps were not so good, then I recovered slightly, I overtook Andrea [Dovizioso] and fought with him but the front tyre was finished in the last laps. When I tried to pull away I was loosing the front, so I couldn’t keep him behind and then the rain arrived. It’s not been a good weekend for me, I want to say congratulations to Casey [Stoner] for his title, he’s been the strongest this season, always on the podium, with no mistakes, so he deserves it”.
Andrea Dovizioso >> Audio
3rd at 2.454 sec.
“It was a difficult race as we expected, this track is very tricky, as are the weather conditions. To return on the podium and arrive in front of Dani [Pedrosa] here at Phillip Island is a very good result for us and it was our target before getting here. I think we could have even finished in second position but when Dani overtook me in the middle of the race we lost contact with Simoncelli, then I retook the position when the rain came, but on the final lap I didn’t have enough grip to push hard in the last few corners. Anyway we are still fighting for the third place in the Championship and I’m sure Dani will be strong in the last two races, but we will try to do our best until the end. Casey [Stoner] has had an amazing season, he is the fastest rider at the moment, so congratulations to him for the title”.
Casey Stoner >> Audio
1st – 42:02.425
“I don’t think anyone could plan things to happen better than they have today! The race was incredibly difficult, the conditions we’re very tough. I built up an early lead as I saw the rain coming in, but I wasn’t sure if it would hit us. I basically ran into a wall of rain, there wasn’t any warning at the back part of the circuit and I came into the last turn and the rain started hard. I nearly lost control and thought for sure I was going to end up in the gravel. I managed to control it and maintain the gap to everyone and thankfully bring it home for the win, but it was a little bit nerve-racking for sure. I’m really sorry that Jorge [Lorenzo] had the accident this morning, he’s great competitor and I think if he’d been here racing today things might not have turned out the way they have, I hope his operation goes well and he’s back racing as soon as he feels fit. I can’t thank everyone enough, my team, Repsol, all our sponsors, everyone that has worked so hard all year, thank you!”.
