Valentino Rossi clinched his sixth MotoGP world championship with victory in the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.
The Fiat Yamaha rider led home the 2007 world champion Casey Stoner after taking the lead from the Ducati rider on lap 14, Stoner just not quite able to keep up with Rossi in the second half of the race, the duo involved in a tight battle in the opening laps with Dani Pedrosa.
The win was Rossi's fifth in a row, and has taken him to eight victories in fifteen races so far this season with three rounds remaining, his championship lead now an insurmountable 92 points over Stoner.
A couple of seconds further back at the finish was Pedrosa on his Honda, who led from lap two until passed by Stoner on lap six, just managing to hold off Jorge Lorenzo in the closing laps.
Lorenzo had recovered from a poor start from pole to move back up to fourth, but any hopes of stealing third on the final lap disappeared when he nearly clipped Pedrosa at the hairpin, just avoiding taking both riders down and ending his hopes of taking the place.
Twenty seconds behind them in fifth place was Pedrosa's teammate Nicky Hayden, who spent the end of the race fending off a group of riders, with Hayden, Loris Capirossi, Colin Edwards, Shinya Nakano and Alex Dovizioso crossing the line covered by just over 1.6 seconds.
Two of the three Suzukis failed to make it to the finish, Chris Vermeulen retiring after brake problems sent him off track, while wildcard Kosuke Akiyoshi crashed out of the race on lap one.
Pos Rider Bike Time
1. Valentino Rossi Yamaha (B) 43:09.599
2. Casey Stoner Ducati (B) + 1.943
3. Dani Pedrosa Honda (B) + 4.866
4. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha (M) + 6.165
5. Nicky Hayden Honda (M) + 24.593
6. Loris Capirossi Suzuki (B) + 25.685
7. Colin Edwards Yamaha (M) + 25.918
8. Shinya Nakano Honda (B) + 26.003
9. Andrea Dovizioso Honda (M) + 26.219
10. John Hopkins Kawasaki (B) + 37.131
11. James Toseland Yamaha (M) + 37.574
12. Randy de Puniet Honda (M) + 38.020
13. Marco Melandri Ducati (B) + 39.768
14. Sylvain Guintoli Ducati (B) + 45.846
15. Anthony West Kawasaki (B) + 55.748
16. Toni Elias Ducati (B) + 59.320
17. Alex de Angelis Honda (B) +1:12.398
Retirements:
Rider Bike Laps
Chris Vermeulen Suzuki (B) 16
Kousuke Akiyoshi Suzuki (B) 0
ref[AS]
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