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Hayden Takes Third as Stoner Wins at Home
Issued 5th October 2008
 Casey Stoner (Ducati) took a convincing win here at his home track ahead of a determined Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) who was second and a resurgent Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) who finished third here at a cold Phillip Island hosting red-hot racing.
Stoner launched his Ducati down the hill off the line into turn one pursued by Hayden and a fast-starting James Toseland (Yamaha).
As the horde peeled into turn two Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) ran wide, onto the grass, and down he went.
 Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) was another lap one casualty, the San Marinese man almost completing a lap before tumbling out of contention.
Stoner and Hayden were well away already and by lap three the lead duo had 1.7 seconds over third-placed Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha).
Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Scot Honda RC212V) got badly baulked at the start and began the lap in last place.
But he cut through the field fearlessly to begin edging back up the race order to lie seventh by lap seven – a staggering comeback from the depths of nowhere.
Shinya Nakano (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) was riding strongly too.
The Japanese ace was sixth in the early laps and he had the race pace to hang in there with the pack dicing for third place.
He managed a valiant fifth at the flag, and could have even have snatched fourth in the four bike melée for fourth place.
 Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V) was another Honda man in the mix for the places, but a race-long duel with Yamaha rider Colin Edwards prevented him from gaining places by getting clear of his rival.
The fast Frenchman had to settle for ninth at the end of these 27-laps.
By mid-race distance Stoner had shed the attentions of the determined Hayden and began working his lead cushion from 2.6 seconds to the 7.9s lead he had at the flag.
Nicky meanwhile had his work cut out fending off the hard-charging Rossi.
On the final lap Rossi dived past Hayden at turn one and Nicky tried all he could to get back on terms and stage a pass on the final lefts onto the start/finish straight where Hayden really hangs the back of his RCV out as he puts down the power.
But it was not to be.
 Dovizioso too was robbed on the final lap while holding fourth place.
Lorenzo got the verdict for fourth when Toseland and Dovi tangled letting Nakano in for fifth at the same time.
All Honda finishers were in the top ten, although not as high as Nicky and Dovi felt they could have been.
Nicky, third, said: “The bike and everything was working pretty good, so I was able to stay with Casey for a while, I felt comfortable there.”
“Then once he started to pull away I had some issues, I couldn’t keep the corner speed I had early on.”
 “I enjoyed the race, it was a lot of fun – riding this track for 27 laps is quite intense, you don’t realise how fast you’re going around here.”
“It was a good battle at the end, Valentino started coming for me, I started to ride a little harder but I ended up going a little slower.”
“I tried to stay wheels in line as best I could and hold him off.”
“Nonetheless it’s cool to be on the podium, I enjoyed the race.”
Stoner, after his win now has 245 points and is closing in on the title runner-up spot.
 Dani lies third with 209 points after this untimely DNF.
There are two rounds to go.
250cc Grand Prix
Series points leader Marco Simoncelli (Gilera) won a thrilling race from his title challenger Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia).
The pair fought tooth and nail throughout this 25-lap encounter with the verdict going to the Gilera man by a mere two tenths of a second.
The fight for third between KTM men Julian Simon and Mika Kallio was equally absorbing, the factory man Kallio just stealing the final podium place on the line by a fairing nose.
But this duo was 14 seconds behind the front men.
Yuki Takahashi (JiR Scot Honda RS250RW) finished seventh.
 The Japanese rider, who moves up to the MotoGP class next season, was edged down to seventh in a three-way fight for fifth.
While the rapid Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda PTT SAG RS250RW) didn’t get the quick getaway he needed off the line and had to battle through for ninth at the flag.
The World Championship points table looks like this with two rounds remaining: Simoncelli 240, Bautista 203 and Kallio 191.
Kallio is still mathematically in touch but the fight is now effectively between the Italian leader and his Spanish challenger, with Simoncelli favourite (barring disaster).
125cc Grand Prix
 Frenchman Mike Di Meglio (Derbi) clinched his first World Championship today when he won from Stefan Bradl, second and former World Champion Gabor Talmacsi, third.
Di Meglio inherited the lead when holeshot hero Bradley Smith (Aprilia) fell on lap one while leading.
Di Meglio then rode a strong yet safe race from the front where he controlled his lead cushion with ease to broach the line more than ten seconds ahead of Bradl (who has now moved up to second overall in the standings).
Di Meglio’s main rival Simone Corsi (Aprilia) could only finish ninth today.
With 237 points to Bradl’s 187 and four wins to his credit so far, the 20-year-old Di Meglio is now uncatchable in the points table.
 Bradl now has to defend his runner-up spot from Corsi on 183 points and Talmacsi on 181 points. Cyril Carrillo (FFM Racing Honda RS125R) finished 18th.
He said: “I started well and made a very good start to the race. I was faster than them on most of the track except for the last two curves, which lead on to the straight.”
“They were overtaking me there every time, which annoyed me and caused me to change rhythm.”
“I tried in vain to improve on my times, which I know I can do. It’s not a bad result but it’s not enough for me and I’ll carry on working hard for the remaining two Grands Prix.”
Honda MOTO GP Here
Results MotoGP
1 / Casey STONER / AUS / Ducati Marlboro Team / DUCATI
2 / Valentino ROSSI / ITA / Fiat Yamaha Team / YAMAHA
3 / Nicky HAYDEN / USA / Repsol Honda Team / HONDA
4 / Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Fiat Yamaha Team / YAMAHA
5 / Shinya NAKANO / JPN / San Carlo Honda Gresini / HONDA
6 / James TOSELAND / GBR / Tech 3 Yamaha / YAMAHA
7 / Andrea DOVIZIOSO / ITA / JiR Team Scot MotoGP / HONDA
8 / Colin EDWARDS / USA / Tech 3 Yamaha / YAMAHA
9 / Randy DE PUNIET / FRA / LCR Honda MotoGP / HONDA
10 / Loris CAPIROSSI / ITA / Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI
11 / Toni ELIAS / SPA / Alice Team / DUCATI / 41'23.670
12 / Anthony WEST / AUS / Kawasaki Racing Team / KAWASAKI
13 / John HOPKINS / USA / Kawasaki Racing Team / KAWASAKI
14 / Sylvain GUINTOLI / FRA / Alice Team / DUCATI / 41'45.542
15 / Chris VERMEULEN / AUS / Rizla Suzuki MotoGP / SUZUKI
Pole Position: Casey STONER 1'28.665 180.598 Km/h
Fastest Lap (New record): Nicky HAYDEN 1'30.059 177.803 Km/h Lap 3
Circuit Record Lap: 2005 Marco MELANDRI 1'30.332 177.266 Km/h
Circuit Best Lap: Casey STONER 1'28.665 180.598 Km/h 2008
World Championship Positions:
1 ROSSI 332, 2 STONER 245, 3 PEDROSA 209, 4 LORENZO 182, 5 DOVIZIOSO 145,
6 HAYDEN 131, 7 EDWARDS 126, 8 VERMEULEN 118, 9 NAKANO 106, 10 CAPIROSSI 102, 11 TOSELAND 100, 12 ELIAS 91, 13 GUINTOLI 60, 14 DE ANGELIS 55, 15 DE PUNIET 54.
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