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Post by BADGER on Sept 25, 2007 8:50:42 GMT
Full MotoGP race results from a wet Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, round fifteen of the 2007 world championship.
1. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 47min 5.484 secs 2. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 47min 16.337 secs 3. Toni Elias SPA Honda Gresini (B) 47min 17.100 secs 4. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 47min 17.676 secs 5. Marco Melandri ITA Honda Gresini (B) 47min 34.053 secs 6. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 47min 36.663 secs 7. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 47min 55.485 secs 8. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 47min 57.827 secs 9. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 47min 59.113 secs 10. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 48min 5.199 secs 11. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 48min 8.288 secs 12. Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 48min 14.797 secs 13. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 48min 15.183 secs 14. Colin Edwards USA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 48min 17.219 secs 15. Shinichi Ito JPN Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 48min 17.774 secs 16. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 48min 38.463 secs 17. Akira Yanagawa JPN Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 47min 34.190 secs 18. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 48min 3.727 secs
DNF: Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 40min 7.818 secs Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 28min 9.647 secs Kurtis Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 2min 47.984 secs
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Post by BADGER on Sept 25, 2007 8:53:59 GMT
Stoner: This is unreal!
Casey Stoner admits he didn't expect to win the 2007 MotoGP World Championship at Motegi on Sunday - and that it's all 'a bit overwhelming'.
"This feels unreal at the moment. I'm struggling for words. I don't think there's any feeling that can compare to this. I guess it'll sink in a little more as the day goes on and then into tomorrow," said a smiling Stoner following a dramatic Japanese Grand Prix.
The 21-year-old Australian, competing in only his second season of MotoGP, needed to beat Valentino Rossito wrap up his first world title three rounds early - but with the Italian superstar still leading with ten laps to go, that had looked unlikely. However, the drying track eventually forced even the frontrunners to pit for a change of bike, which proved to be Rossi's undoing.
Stoner, Marco Melandri and Rossi had spent most of the wet part of the race battling for victory - and all eventually pitted within the space of one lap, but when the trio rejoined Rossi was immediately struggling with the front of his M1. The former five times MotoGPchampion then pulled into the pits to have his machine examined - all but handing Stoner the crown.
"The race started out quite well, but unfortunately my tyres started to destroy themselves. I didn't really know whether to come in or not, but then the team put 'box' on the pit board so I had a bit more confidence to come in," said Stoner, who rejoined in fifth. "After I changed bikes, I think there was a problem with the steering damper - the bike wasn't allowing me to top into corners - so I had to slow down to unwind the steering damper so it would work.
"Then Valentino had a problem... It's a little bit overwhelming; we didn't really expect to get [the title] at this race. It's all come on me quite quickly - I didn't expect to be world champion today," confessed Casey, who wheelied across the finish line in a safe sixth position.
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Post by BADGER on Sept 25, 2007 8:57:07 GMT
Rossi reveals why title was lost.
Valentino Rossi has praised Casey Stoner following the Australian's MotoGP title victory at Motegi on Sunday - and revealed the cause of his mystery problem, which handed the Ducati star the world crown three rounds early.
Rossi came into the event needing to finish in front of Stoner to delay the Australian's title celebrations - and charged from seventh at the end of lap one to overtake Stoner and then Marco Melandri for the lead with ten laps remaining. But by then the wet track was almost dry and the top three were forced to join the rest of the field in pitting for their spare bikes.
Stoner and Melandri rejoined in fifth and sixth with Rossi - who stayed out an extra lap - initially back on track in second place, behind only eventual winner Loris Capirossi. However, Rossi was soon struggling to control his M1 and pulled straight back into the pits to have the front of his Fiat Yamaha examined - ending his title hopes. After a quick check, Rossi was waved back out, but again ran wide before limping home in 13th place.
"It's a great pity for us how everything has turned out this weekend, because in the dry we were faster than Stoner and we could have had a good chance," sighed Rossi, who last won the MotoGPtitle in 2005. "After I passed Melandri [for the lead] I came into the box to change and maybe this was one lap too late, but our strategy was more or less okay because I was able to come back into the race with only Loris in front of me.
"We had an intermediate front tyre, a slick cut which is normal in these situations, but the bike was almost impossible for me to ride and turn and it felt like there was something seriously wrong," he revealed. "I came back in but my mechanics could see there was nothing wrong so I went straight out again, and by then it was too late; the race was over for me and the championship was gone. After four or five laps the tyre began to work better and I was able to keep going to the end, but without this problem it would have been possible for me to be on the podium or even to fight for the win with Loris."
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