Aussie Stoner rides to ‘memorable’ win in Motegi

Australian rider Casey Stoner won the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday, grabbing his second straight victory despite frustrating problems setting up his Ducati throughout the weekend.

The 2007 world champion clocked 43min 12.266sec at the Motegi Twin Ring, 3.868sec ahead of pole-position starter Andrea Dovizioso and 5.707sec faster than reigning champion Valentino Rossi, both of Italy.

Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo only came fourth, after losing a nail-biting battle with Rossi in the final stages of the race, a physical duel that the Spaniard complained as “a bit too much.”

Stoner, fresh from winning the Aragon Grand Prix last month, called the victory an “upset” after his team struggled to find the best set-up for his machine in “a disaster weekend”.

“It’s obvious the bike really isn’t perfect for this track. And to come out and still win this was just awesome for me and for the team and for everybody,” he said.

“This was one of my most memorable wins,” he said, after fending off challenges from Dovizioso, who had his first career pole start.

The true highlight of the race came as Yamaha riders Rossi and Lorenzo staged a brilliant duel with two laps remaining.

Riding side by side, their bikes touched as they overtook each other at successive corners during the final lap. But Rossi, still suffering shoulder pains, had the final say.

But Lorenzo questioned Rossi’s tactics.

“I have to say that, at some points, I do not think he was completely fair,” he said.

“We were both on the limit, but some of his moves were maybe a bit too much and he touched me and pushed me wide when I don’t think it was right,” he said.

Stoner’s victory, however, did not change Lorenzo’s strong position in the overall championship standings.

With only four races remaining Lorenzo can secure the season title by placing ninth or better in the Malaysian Grand Prix next weekend if second-ranked Dani Pedrosa misses the event.

Pedrosa, the only racer with a chance of overtaking Lorenzo, pulled out of Motegi after crashing during practice on Friday, when he broke a collarbone into four pieces.

MotoGP standings

1. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 297, 2. Pedrosa (Honda) 228, 3. Stoner (Ducati) 180, 4. Dovizioso (Honda) 159, 5. Rossi (Yamaha) 156, 6. Spies (Yamaha) 139, 7. Hayden (Ducati) 129, 8. De Puniet (Honda) 88, 9. Simoncelli (Honda) 84, 10. Edwards (Yamaha) 81.