POLINI MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX

The session took place on a drying track and ended with Dani Pedrosa's first pole position with Bridgestone tyres and the pneumatic-valve Honda...


1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (B) 2min 1.548 sec
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 2min 1.957 sec
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 2min 2.171 sec
4. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 2min 2.192 sec
5. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 2min 2.245 sec
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 2min 2.836 sec
7. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 2min 2.953 sec
8. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2min 3.078 sec
9. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 2min 3.110 sec
10. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 2min 3.184 sec
11. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2min 3.271 sec
12. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 2min 3.282 sec
13. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 2min 3.392 sec
14. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 2min 3.835 sec
15. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 2min 4.001 sec
16. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 2min 4.378 sec
17. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 2min 4.679 sec
18. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2min 4.835 sec
19. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 2min 5.120 sec

2008 MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi looked to have Sepang pole position in the bag as he sat on top of the timesheets long after the chequered flag had been put out - but was to be denied by a stunning final lap from Dani Pedrosa.

Torrential rain had left the track soaking wet as the MotoGP qualifying session got underway, but it soon began to dry rapidly, meaning conditions were changing for the riders on every lap.

"The conditions were incredible today and this practice was as much about strategy as it was about qualifying tyres and set-up, because you had to judge the right moment to go out with the right tyre," said Rossi.

The teams were faced with delicate tyre decisions as they tried to keep abreast of the rapidly drying track but Rossi, his Fiat Yamaha crew and Bridgestone tyre technician got it right each time and the Italian remained close to the top throughout the session - although he was ultimately left 0.409sec from Pedrosa's Repsol Honda.

"We worked very well in our garage and managed to make the right decisions every time, so I was at the top or near to it for most of the session and able to constantly make big improvements," confirmed Rossi.

"When I saw that I'd done a 2min 1.9sec I thought that I might have the pole, but Dani was even faster so congratulations to him today.

"Anyway it's good to be back on the front row because we have been off it for two races, and now we're in a good place to start our challenge tomorrow. I am really looking forward to the race because I love this track and my M1 is really flying here. However I hope the weather is ok because for sure it will be more fun in the dry!" he added.

“We came out very well from a tricky situation today," said team manager Davide Brivio. "It was a delicate job to correctly follow the conditions, which were changing so quickly, but we managed it very well and this front row is just reward for some good work from the team. This was an important front row because there are a lot of riders here looking very competitive, but also the information from this session might be useful tomorrow if we have the same conditions. Let's hope not, but anyway we will be prepared."

Rossi's Michelin-shod team-mate Jorge Lorenzo made it two Yamahas on the front row, leaving the pair in prime position for a double-podium assault tomorrow.

My podium picks are Valentino, Hayden & Lorenzo in no particular order..

I hope our romantiki is having lots of fun today..

Wonder if she's smelled Valentino yet ..

Me too.. Have been thinking of her lots!

Just got up to watch the end of the 125's and now the 250's are on..

1. Talmasci 2. Bradley 3. Corsi

Talmasci is moving up a class next year..I always thought he was a little old to be riding the 125s..

White Flag..
I wonder who's gonna come out first..

Well done vale and dovi!

Yeh well done VALE MY VALE

ES winds me up.. they don't show the after race press conference...
Anyone know wat was said?

mainly that it was hot
they all looked knackered
dovi was very excited, kept looking off to the right, dont know who he was looking at but he would get a little grin
they asked dani that once vale passed him did he think he could fight, dani said no
lol
typical, no killer instinct in that one
vale said something like it was an incredible tough race because of the conditions
after 5 or 6 laps, i wonder how long it is to go, and i look at pit board and see a strange number there, and think maybe its better not to know
he is also happy about the 9th win, says all his good season had 9 or 11 wins
then he remembered there was one race to go, and he said at least 9 wins

Well i got one out of three of my predictions right

Yes they looked completely buggered on the podium

Yaaay!!

Well done Valentino!! Now I'm not that mad about the dark circles under my eyes...

look..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/7678480.stm

Well done Vale you rock

I just finished watching it online because I just finished work! Well done Vale! 9 wins this year 150 podiums all up!

way to go Valentino!!!..............kc who........!


has anyone heard from romantik yet ......hope she has had a bril. time................

i cant wait til she gets back!

she has been gone since i got here!

It seems such a long time since we heard from her.....................

So what place did Stoner get ??

7th ??

Way to go Nicky !

Was hoping to see him on the podium though..

Rossi romps to victory in Malaysia
Sunday, 19 October 2008

Valentino Rossi took his 2008 win tally up to nine with a triumph in Sepang.

Valentino Rossi took victory number nine of his 2008 season in the Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, escaping from the clutches of Dani Pedrosa in the final third of an exciting race at the Sepang circuit.

The 2008 MotoGP World Champion had started from second on the grid, but held onto the tail of Pedrosa´s Repsol Honda RC212V as his rival attempted to make an early breakaway. After taking the lead from the Spaniard on lap ten Rossi set about creating an advantage of his own, and as the race entered the final third the biggest problem for the Italian was the threat of rain.

With the option open to come in and change bikes, the Fiat Yamaha man -and indeed all the other riders so used to the changeable nature of conditions in Sepang- elected to stick out the light rainfall, a decision vindicated when the rain passed and the high temperatures quickly dried up any residual wetness.

With his latest podium finish Rossi extends his run of rostrum placings to eight consecutive Grands Prix, with a chance of win number ten in Valencia at next weekend´s season finale.

Pedrosa placed inside the top three in Sepang for the third time in as many premier class visits to the Malaysian track, although it was not enough to keep the battle for the runner-up spot in the 2008 World Championship standings alive. Nonetheless, the Spaniard recorded his best race result on Bridgestone tyres, after taking his first pole for the Japanese manufacturer on Saturday afternoon.

With just one race left in his maiden MotoGP season, Andrea Dovizioso finally achieved a first premier class podium after a tooth-and-nail battle with Nicky Hayden. The JiR Team Scot rider also moved further into contention for the Rookie of the Year honour as his result combined with a crash from rival Jorge Lorenzo.

San Carlo Honda Gresini´s Shinya Nakano showed that he was also up for a battle, eventually keeping the fifth spot despite the best attempts of 2007 Sepang racewinner Casey Stoner. Sixth place was enough for Stoner to confirm second in the season´s overall classification.

Loris Capirossi, Colin Edwards, Chris Vermeulen and Randy de Puniet rounded off the first ten past the chequered flag in the 21-lap race.

******************************************************************************

I hope he makes it 10 in Valencia!!
I hope he makes up for the past 2 years.. all that bad luck he had...
He won't be as stressed so I think he'll give a good race..

Randy got a top ten finish again!
you watch
you are looking at next years champion
okay, i'll tap the brakes, not champion but next years sexiest french rider
hey i am a realist

Well done Valentino!!

Congrats to Dovi aswell for his first podium.

Did you see Stoner's face when he took off his helmet he didn't look too good. Not that he ever does but he looked a bit worse than usual not happy at all.

One more race and the season is over I can't believe it it's gone so quick

but then we get the joy of another off season

The only good thing about the off season is that I dont have to worry about working my weekends around races

Nice pics Tamm...
Those ones are massive..

well i am a computer idiot and cant figure out how to make them smaller!