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Pedrosa Takes Second As Dovi Visits Podium
Issued 19th October 2008
 Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) won today in searing heat with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) scoring second place.
His best result so far since his switch to new rubber on the pneumatic-valved RC212V.
But perhaps the third position achieved by class rookie Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Scot Honda RC212V) was the more significant achievement.
Pedrosa sped off the line from pole to lead the pack into turn one with the pacy Dovizioso on his tail and Rossi holding third with Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) in fourth, Casey Stoner (Ducati) fifth and Shinya Nakano (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) sixth.
With 21-laps ahead of them it was to be expected that Dovi might fade from the rostrum positions as the race unfolded after Rossi past him on lap two but the dogged rookie showed he had the grit to hold onto his place despite the close attentions of former World Champion Hayden.
With Dovi’s close rival, Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), for the coveted ‘rookie of the season’ title falling mid-race and failing to finish, the fight for this important award will now go to the final round in Valencia next weekend.
Pedrosa and Rossi did not take long to leave Dovi, Hayden, Stoner and Nakano way behind as they fought hard for the lead.
 By mid-race they had pulled out a six second gap on their pursuers and it was then when Rossi pounced on Dani at the hairpin to steal the lead.
The Italian Yamaha man then outpaced the Honda ace at the head of the field as leaden skies threatened to unload rain.
Occasional spots of rain fell on the far side of the track as teams prepared spare machines fitted with wet tyres, but no rider felt compelled to pit and change bikes.
The battle for third place now became the main interest as Nakano took fifth from Stoner and the Japanese veteran looked as if he might have the pace to challenge Nicky for fourth and perhaps even Dovi for the final podium place.
But it was only 2006 World Champion Hayden who could sustain the challenge to the rapid Dovi, the man who will replace the American in the factory Honda Team next season.
Nicky stole third at turn one on lap 18, but Dovi had the mettle to pass him back at turn four.
Hayden then made enough of an error on the next lap to give Dovi enough breathing space to hang onto third and notch his first ever premier class podium as the rain held off and the flag came out to conclude a contest that showed just what a talent Dovi will be on works machinery in 2009.
 Dovi and his crew prepared his RC212V for maximum acceleration out of the turns to match the Honda’s massive drive out of the turns with Andrea’s legendary late-breaking skills and it proved a masterful ploy.
Second-placed Dani said: “It’s been a busy weekend. On Friday morning we were only 17th, I think, then we started moving forward and yesterday we were able to get pole and today I finished second, so finally it has been a good weekend for me and my team."
"We have made another important step forward after Phillip Island where I crashed out of the race and hurt my left knee."
"At the end of today's race Valentino was faster than me, he always puts on some extra pressure towards the end, so it was difficult to follow him, but we were closer this time than we were at Motegi so I am happy that we are making progress with our new bike and tyres.”
Third-placed Dovi said: “Today I am happy. The first podium in MotoGP, after so much work in a season full of satisfaction. Thanks for the seven years competing with the Scot Team"
 "I won the world 125 title with them and next year I will be with Team HRC."
"I could not afford to make the slightest mistake today. I made the most of the tyres, which in these conditions were sliding a lot and over the last few laps I was pushed hard by Nicky but I managed to finish and took a reality check on the podium."
"Thanks again to everyone in my team which has always been very close and supportive.”
Nicky, fourth, said: “We knew it was never going to be easy – all weekend we’ve been sixth and seventh, and with the changeable weather we were never really able to find anything set-up-wise. Then we had a bad warm-up."
"We tried some stuff overnight and went a bit backwards, so for the race I was quite unsure how it was going to go"
"I pushed hard, a couple of times I was able to get in front of Dovi, but he held tough.
Man, he don’t give in for nothing. It was fun battling for the podium after the dudes up front took off early”
 “ I tried everything I could, I was pushing the front quite a lot, through Turn three mainly."
"Maybe I should have tried something a little more on the last lap, but I was already pushing hard. Congratulations to Dovi on his first podium, he earned it.”
Nakano in fifth said: “I got a good start and quickly moved up from fifteenth to sixth. I followed Stoner for a while and tried to pass him in several places but it wasn’t easy because he was so fast and he was braking very deep in the corners."
"Anyway, I soon realised that he was starting to have some issues, it looked like the front end of his bike, so I was able to make the pass and then hang on to fifth place until the end.”
Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V) finished tenth and said: “At the start I released the clutch too early and did a big wheelie losing a few positions."
"After the first lap I started to set my rhythm and was pretty comfortable despite the heat. I enjoyed battling with Toseland because he passed me twice and I did the same with him but at the end he crashed."
 "Then I caught Hopkins and passed him in the fifth lap pushing hard to catch the first group."
"My pace was pretty fast but in the middle of the race my right wrist started to ache a lot and it was very hard for me to change direction and to brake.”
Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) was 14th. He said: “I’m really disappointed with today’s race because I made a good start but I got pushed wide by Toseland, who braked really late into turn one, and a few riders were able to pass me."
"I got my pace together but then lost a lot of time fighting with Melandri, and in the second half of the race I struggled with the tyres and I couldn’t get back on the pace I’d been able to set in practice."
"It was a really tough race but I’m confident I can bounce back at Valencia and make the most of our last chance this season.”
250cc Grand Prix
 Marco Simoncelli clinched his first World Championship when he finished third behind Alvaro Bautista (both Aprilia) with Hiro Aoyama (KTM) third.
Yuki Takahashi (JiR Scot Honda RS250RW) finished in a fighting fourth place.
Simoncelli rode a controlled race resisting the urge to get involved in a fight for the win that might have jeopardized his chances of securing the points he needed to put Bautista out of the title hunt.
Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda PTT SAG RS250RW), who had put in a stunning performance in qualifying to head the second row of the grid made a poor start, but still managed eighth place to equal his best result so far in the class.
His qualifying lap time of 2m 07.410s was the fastest ever by a Honda rider at Sepang. Quicker even than Pedrosa or Dovizioso in their prime.
 Takahashi said: “Today felt very hot and it was really hard. Physically I was tired and the heat made the front tyre very slippery."
"Up to half-distance, the race went well, but after the tyre began to slide I could not push more."
"The result today is important and Valencia is vital for us to defend the fifth place ranking in the Championship. It’s a track I like and I will give the maximum."
"I want to thank the team that worked hard and prepared the bike well.”
Wilairot said: “My start was bad again, not as bad as Phillip Island but I was only 13th at the end of the first lap."
"But the bike was really good today, very fast and I had good acceleration, I could run with anybody."
"I found a very good rhythm early in the race and concentrated on riding smoothly and gain positions but it was hard work. The race was fun and I really enjoyed myself today.”
“Now we go to Valencia for the last race and I hope to keep my form.”
125cc Grand Prix
 Gabor Talmacsi won from Bradley Smith with Simone Corsi third (all Aprilia).
Talmacsi headed the pack into turn one and the Hungarian former World Champion used all his pace to prevent the hard-charging Smith from getting close enough to challenge for the lead.
Smith started from 13th on the grid and made a brave bid to get on terms with Talmacsi but his fourth podium of the season had to be consolation enough for a stirring effort.
Cyril Carrillo (FFM Racing Honda RS125R) did not start the race after injuring himself in a crash during qualifying.
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