[attach id=214923 size="large"]Jorge Lorenzo[/attach]
Jorge Lorenzo sealed his second world MotoGP crown after his challenger crashed out, while Casey Stoner claimed his sixth straight Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island yesterday
Spain’s Lorenzo took the title despite finishing a well-beaten second behind the rampant Stoner, who thrilled his 53,000 home fans by storming to a nine-second victory in his final ride at his favourite track before retirement.
Lorenzo’s task was made considerably easier when Stoner’s Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa crashed out on the second lap.
Lorenzo had led Pedrosa by 23 points going into the penultimate Phillip Island round. He only needed to finish three points higher than his compatriot to secure the championship before the final race in Valencia on November 11.
Pedrosa was leading when he high-sided and lost control of his Honda on the right-handed turn four and his race was over in a matter of minutes after the start.
The unstoppable Stoner took over to draw away from the field for a convincing win, his 38th in 114 MotoGP starts.
“I was quite comfortable to be in second place because Casey was in another world, so I thought I had a great chance to become world champion today,” Lorenzo said.
“When I was behind Dani he braked too deep and he make a mistake and it was easy for me, but one part of me wanted to ride safe and be world champion and another part of me wanted to try and catch Casey and try to make some pressure on him.”
Stoner lost all chance of defending the world title he carried off last year at Phillip Island when he missed three rounds after a horror crash at Indianapolis.
But he said yesterday’s victory was a fitting way to end his troubled season.
“That was something extraordinary, it’s been a fantastic weekend from the very first lap and otherwise than a little upset (fall) yesterday, the weekend couldn’t have gone more smoother,” Stoner said.
Britain’s Yamaha rider Carl Crutchlow rounded out yesterday’s top three, finishing 14.570 seconds behind Stoner.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Marc Marquez crowned his elevation to next season’s MotoGP by claiming the Moto2 world championship in the Australian GP.
The brilliant 19-year-old finished third behind winner and compatriot Pol Espargaro but it was enough to ensure he clinched the world title one race before the final Moto2 GP.
Marquez holds a 39-point lead over Espargaro heading into the Valencia race with a maximum of 25 points available.
MotoGP standings
1. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 350, 2. Pedrosa (Honda) 307, 3. Stoner (Honda) 238, 4. Dovizioso (Yamaha) 208, 5. Bautista (Honda) 165, 6. Rossi (Ducati) 157, 7. Crutchlow (Yamaha) 151, 8. Bradl (Honda) 135, 9. Hayden (Ducati) 122, 10. Spies (Yamaha) 88.