MotoGP Sepang : Stoner wins again

Australian world champion Casey Stoner, riding a Ducati, claimed his 10th MotoGP victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix here Sunday with a powerful performance.
The 22-year-old, who started from second position on the grid, led for most of the race with little threat from other riders including five-time world champion Valentino Rossi, riding a Yamaha, who only managed fifth place.
Stoner finished the 21-lap race with a time of 43 minutes 04.405 seconds. Italian Marco Melandri, on a Honda, finished second while Honda rider Dani Pedrosa -- who is vying with Rossi for second polace in the championship standings -- was third. Frenchman Randy De Puniet finished in fourth.
It was Stoner's first MotoGP title at Sepang, a circuit dominated by Rossi in past years. The Australian won here in the 125cc race in 2004 and the 250cc in 2005.
Stoner, who clinched his first world title in Japan last month, has been one of the fastest and most consistent riders of the season, which ends in Valencia on November 4.


MotoGP Sepang :

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 43min 4.405 secs
2. Marco Melandri ITA Honda Gresini (B) 43min 6.106 secs
3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 43min 6.731 secs
4. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 43min 8.170 secs
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 43min 9.178 secs
6. Toni Elias SPA Honda Gresini (B) 43min 22.072 secs
7. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 43min 25.355 secs
8. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 43min 26.603 secs
9. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 43min 26.855 secs
10. Colin Edwards USA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 43min 34.151 secs
11. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 43min 39.328 secs
12. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin (B) 43min 40.072 secs
13. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 43min 48.518 secs
14. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 43min 48.891 secs
15. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 43min 54.063 secs
16. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 43min 56.131 secs
17. Chaz Davies GBR Pramac d'Antin (B) 44min 3.310 secs
18. Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 (D) 44min 4.001 secs
19. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 (D) 44min 27.524 secs
20. Kurtis Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 44min 55.365 secs

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