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| | | MotoGP Sepang : Casey « Stronger » |  Written: 22/10/2007 : 13:43. Read 5949 times (4/day). | Last Sunday, on the Seapng race track in Malaysia, took place the penultimate race of the MotoGP championship. Dominated from the begining to the end by the untouchable Casey Stoner, the Podium was completed by two Honda riders, Marco melandri and Dani Pedrosa.
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Starting second on the grid, the aussie managed to make the hole shot to take the lead at the first apex. Aftyer that he could set his pace to the race, and keep the lead until the finish line.
Casey Stoner :
"The bike, the tyres and everything were performing really well but it was a very, very difficult race. The biggest battle I had was being out front by myself and not having anyone to focus on. I've been fine with it all year but this track seems to take it out of you a little bit more. Sometime after half-distance I had a couple of front-end loses, so I had to change my style a little bit, the way I was going into corners, to make sure I didn't lose the front any more. That took up a lot more of my energy and concentration, so it was quite hard to keep it up at the end. The reason the gap was going up and down so much was because I was trying to get a break for one lap, just to recover a little bit.
Unfortunately I'd let them catch too much, so then I'd have to really concentrate for another lap which would take more of my energy away, so I think I'm very lucky and very happy to come out on top. Marco and Dani were fast right to the end, they were putting a lot of pressure on me and they never let me go. After I crossed the line I started to feel a bit dizzy, so it was definitely a hard race."
Second on the podium, Marco Melandri is quite upraise. 
After a season with up and downs, this 2007 Malaysian GP is for sure one of the best of this season for him.
At the start, the italian, third on the grid was passed by Randy De Puniet after the first corner, But Marco melandri did not let him go and after a small mistake of the french he could for a few moment passed him.
Lap after lap Melandri's rythm was better and better and finaly he could pass De Puniet and few laps after Pedrosa who did not show much opposition.
Marco Melandri ryed to catch Stoner but it was impossible so he stayed second toward the end.
Marco Melandri :
“We had a very good warm up this morning and I was very confident for the race. I made a stupid mistake on the warm up lap trying to adjust the valve on the water feed into my helmet, I pushed it too hard and broke it every time I braked the water came into my helmet. I was very nervous on the start line and didn’t make a good start but after a few laps I said to myself; ‘Concentrate’ I found a good rhythm but it was difficult to pass Dani (Pedrosa). I was strong in the twisty part of the track but Dani had incredible acceleration better than Ducati. I tried to pass him as quick as possible to try and pass Casey (Stoner) and I made a mistake and lost one second. But I pushed to catch him and was at one second with six laps to go. But I couldn’t do it so with two to go I concentrated on preserving my position. That got me fourth place in the championship. We had a very good package of bike and tyres today and I’m happy with this first podium at this track. When we came here I felt that this would not be a good track for us but this race proves that if you have a good bike and tyres you can go fast at every track. This is like a win for me. I’m happy and want to thank Fausto and the team for their great cooperation. The asphalt is very bumpy but it had good grip.”
Dani Pedrosa was the best on the gris, he was on pole position. But despite that he was passed by Stoner at the start.
After that Pedrosa made all he could to stay with Stoner but that was all, he could never been side t side with him.
Then he was catch by Melandri and at the end he almost been catch by Randy De Puniet but the spaniard could up his rythm just right to not be worried by the french rider.
Dani Pedrosa :
"I pushed very hard at the beginning because from what we'd seen in practice I was expecting the grip level from the tyres to fall away towards the end of the race. My plan was to make a gap if possible and handle the grip situation as well as I could. For the first laps I was quite consistent behind Casey but when I started to brake later with a full tank of fuel I was losing the front end, so I dropped back a little and that's when Marco passed me. At that stage I was trying to maintain my rhythm and, as the race went on and the fuel load came down, I began to get a better feeling at the front of the machine under braking. I was really surprised about the high pace in the final part of the race because we didn't expect to maintain these lap times based on what we'd seen in practice. So I must say thank you to Michelin because we were able to get on the podium today thanks to the consistency of the tyre performance. Now I'm looking forward to Valencia because it's a home race and I'd like to get good result for the fans. I hope we can take another step forward and get even closer to taking the win."
The nice surprise was Randy De Puniet. At last author of a nice start, he was able to take a position.
He was also able to stay with Pedrosa and Stoner for few laps and finaly showed great motivation after his mistake, when he (re)passed melandri.
Unfortunately the french rider could not maintain his nice rythm of the begining and was forced to let the third position top Marco Melandri.
At the end De Puniet was faster than Pedrosa but the spâniard could up his pace to be safe.
Randy De Puniet made a very nice race, and despite some small mistake, he was able to rectify his recurrent problems.
Randy De Puniet :
"I’m very happy, it was a good race. For the first time in 17 rounds, I managed a good start and then I took Melandri by the first corner, holding third for a few laps. After that he passed me and I tried to stay with the leading group. I did make some small mistakes during the race but the gap between me and the others didn't change and towards the end I got within less than a second of Pedrosa. But then I had a few problems with stability under braking and decided to hold my place rather than push too hard and take any risks. The bike worked very well today and I'm so happy with this result."
To end this top five review, we must see the reaction of Valentino Rossi. He is for sure the most disappointed of all.
Only nith after qualifying session, Rossi had a really good rythm during the race. 
Ninth on the grid, eleventh after the first lap, and after a beautiful recovery, fifth at the end. A nice race.
Valentino Rossi :
“Of course I’m disappointed with fifth place, but I am very happy with my race today. It’s a pity because we had great potential this afternoon and, if we had been able to start from the front row, I think we could have fought for the victory. We made some modifications today and luckily everything worked much better during the race than it had during practice. We were fast this afternoon, we had a great rhythm but unfortunately we really lost the race yesterday in qualifying! I took some time to find my rhythm at the start of the race but once I did I realised I had a great pace and that my bike and tyres were working very well. I tried to catch de Puniet but, even though I was a tiny bit faster than him, the difference was only one or two tenths and so it wasn’t enough to be able to make up three seconds. My Michelin tyre worked very well to the end today so this is encouraging for Valencia, where we will be trying one more time to win before the end of the season."
And how can I not talk about the others, and those who missed their chance...
As anthony West, the second Kawasaki rider who was forced to do a ride through after a stupid mistake. He was not on the right starting point on the grid...
The aussie was very good at the begining and after his penalty ends the race in 15th position to take one point.
We can also talk about the race of Nicky Hayden, with his new 16 inch Michelin rear tyre had a really good pace throughout the race but who made a big mistake and was forced to go out of the track which made him lose all his advantage.
Also the nice race of Nobuatsu Aoki who could end the race in 13th position with the whole new 2008 Suzuki GSV-R800 prototype. The japanese raider is Suzuki's test rider and it was his first race in world championship since two years... a really good performance.
To end how can I don't talk about the big controversy who make talk all the paddock and journalists since two month almost.
The never ending debat about tyres.
As you can know now, the decision about the one make tyre rule is now reported. But to wait two riders made their positions clear about the wish to be supplied by Bridgestone next season, Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa.
Motorcycle competition departemen director at Bridgestone, Hiroshi Yamada, said sunday to AFP that « Dorna said to us that if we want to escape from the one make tyre rule, we must supply the 28years old Italian rider », said he. « We will take our decision toward next wednesday in Japan. »
Valentino Rossi who currently lies ion second poisition to the MotoGP championship, thinks that he could not fight against Casey Stoner, already World Champion, mostly because his tyres were not been enough good.
So he wants to have Bridgestone tyres next season.
Rossi said, nevertheless, that Michelin told him that they will be stronger next season and will bring more money. He finished by saying that if he could not hacve Bridgestone tyres he will fight with all his strenght to reach again the championship.
Pedrosa had also told that he would want to have Bridgestone tyres next season, as said his team director Kosuke Yasutake.
« Dani wants Bridgestone tyres. We have asked Bridgestone if its possible. The decision will be make before the Valencia GP. There is a probability to see Dani Pedrosa with Bridgestone next season. » said he.
To be continued...
Article : Aurélien Filippi
MotoGP Sepang :
1- 27 C.STONER DUCATI 43'04.405
2- 33 M.MELANDRI HONDA 43'06.106 +1.701
3- 26 D.PEDROSA HONDA 43'06.731 +2.326
4- 14 R.DE PUNIET KAWASAKI 43'08.170 +3.765
5- 46 V.ROSSI YAMAHA 43'09.178 +4.773
6- 24 T.ELIAS HONDA 43'22.072 +17.667
7- 71 C.VERMEULEN SUZUKI 43'25.355 +20.950
8- 21 J.HOPKINS SUZUKI 43'26.603 +22.198
9- 1 N.HAYDEN HONDA 43'26.855 +22.450
10- 5 C.EDWARDS YAMAHA 43'34.151 +29.746
11- 65 L.CAPIROSSI DUCATI 43'39.328 +34.923
12- 4 A.BARROS DUCATI 43'40.072 +35.667
13- 9 N.AOKI SUZUKI 43'48.518 +44.113
14- 7 C.CHECA HONDA 43'48.891 +44.486
15- 13 A.WEST KAWASAKI 43'54.063 +49.658
16- 56 S.NAKANO HONDA 43'56.131 +51.726
17- 57 C.DAVIES DUCATI 44'03.310 +58.905
18- 6 M.TAMADA YAMAHA 44'04.001 +59.596
19- 50 S.GUINTOLI YAMAHA 44'27.524 +1'23.119
20- 80 K.ROBERTS KR212V 44'55.365 +1'50.960
MotoGP Championship world standings :
1 C.STONER DUCATI 347
2 V.ROSSI YAMAHA 241
3 D.PEDROSA HONDA 217
4 M.MELANDRI HONDA 174
5 J.HOPKINS SUZUKI 173
6 C.VERMEULEN SUZUKI 169
7 L.CAPIROSSI DUCATI 155
8 C.EDWARDS YAMAHA 121
9 N.HAYDEN HONDA 119
10 A.BARROS DUCATI 106
11 R.DE PUNIET KAWASAKI 101
12 T.ELIAS HONDA 98
13 A.HOFMANN DUCATI 65
14 C.CHECA HONDA 61
15 A.WEST KAWASAKI 59
16 S.GUINTOLI YAMAHA 45
17 S.NAKANO HONDA 45
18 M.TAMADA YAMAHA 37
19 K.ROBERTS KR212V 10
20 R.Lee HAYDEN KAWASAKI 6
21 M.FABRIZIO HONDA 6
22 F.NIETO KAWASAKI 5
23 K.ROBERTS JR KR212V 4
24 O.JACQUE KAWASAKI 4
25 N.AOKI SUZUKI 3
26 S.ITO DUCATI 1
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