Radiohead
17-10-2004, 08:33
A stunning season (in all 3 classes) and a fantastic race to end Gibernau and Honda's challenge - they'll be licking their wounds back in Motegi and expect fireworks next year....will we see Pedrosa moving up a class to challenge The Doctor?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/3750434.stm
Valentino Rossi took victory in the Australian MotoGP to claim the world title for the fourth year in a row.
Rossi only needed to finish second at Phillip Island but put a daring passing move on rival Sete Gibernau on the last lap to take the chequered flag.
The Italian gave Yamaha their first world crown since 1992 and became only the second rider to win consecutive titles with different manufacturers.
Loris Capirossi was third for Ducati, just ahead of Honda's Colin Edwards.
Rossi staged a two-man duel with Honda rider Gibernau from the start of the 27-lap race and the two men exchanged the lead several times in the closing stages.
The 25-year-old Italian won by just 0.097 seconds, with Capirossi more than 10 seconds behind Rossi.
"It's incredible. I had to fight until the last lap," Rossi told BBC Sport."Second place would have been enough but I waited. With less fuel the bike started to ride very well and we saw what happened."
Gibernau said: "We tried our best but we had some trouble with the engine delivery.We did a good race but I think it could have been better if we'd not had the problems."
It was Rossi's eighth victory of the season and his 100th podium finish in 139 starts in the three different classes of GP racing.
Only five riders in the 56-year history of the sport have more podium finishes than Rossi - Giacomo Agostini (159), Angel Nieto (139), Phil Read (121), Mike Hailwood (112) and Max Biaggi (106).
Rossi now has 41 wins from 79 starts for a winning percentage of 51.8%, far superior to that of Australian five-times world champion Mick Doohan (39.4%).
The final race of the season will take place in Valencia on 31 October.
Earlier, Argentina's Sebastian Porto won the 250cc race but could not prevent Daniel Pedrosa of Spain from clinching the world title with a fourth-place finish.
Italian Andrea Dovizioso, who had already clinched the 125cc world championship in Malaysia last weekend, finished ahead of Spain's Jorge Lorenzo to take victory.
MotoGP results
1. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Yamaha, 41 minutes 25.819 seconds
2. Sete Gibernau, Spain, Honda, 41:25.916
3. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Ducati, 41:36.305
4. Colin Edwards, United States, Honda, 41:36.636
5. Alex Barros, Brazil, Honda, 41:36.670
6. Nicky Hayden, United States, Honda, 41:38.029
7. Max Biaggi, Italy, Honda, 41:38.666
8. Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda, 41:38.784
9. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 41:44.426
10. Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha, 41:47.064
Championship standings
1. Rossi 279 points
2. Gibernau, 244
3. Biaggi, 197
4. Barros, 155
5. Edwards, 149 6. Tamada, 139. 7. Hayden, 117. 8. Checa, 115. 9. Capirossi, 110. 10. Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, 77
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/3750434.stm
Valentino Rossi took victory in the Australian MotoGP to claim the world title for the fourth year in a row.
Rossi only needed to finish second at Phillip Island but put a daring passing move on rival Sete Gibernau on the last lap to take the chequered flag.
The Italian gave Yamaha their first world crown since 1992 and became only the second rider to win consecutive titles with different manufacturers.
Loris Capirossi was third for Ducati, just ahead of Honda's Colin Edwards.
Rossi staged a two-man duel with Honda rider Gibernau from the start of the 27-lap race and the two men exchanged the lead several times in the closing stages.
The 25-year-old Italian won by just 0.097 seconds, with Capirossi more than 10 seconds behind Rossi.
"It's incredible. I had to fight until the last lap," Rossi told BBC Sport."Second place would have been enough but I waited. With less fuel the bike started to ride very well and we saw what happened."
Gibernau said: "We tried our best but we had some trouble with the engine delivery.We did a good race but I think it could have been better if we'd not had the problems."
It was Rossi's eighth victory of the season and his 100th podium finish in 139 starts in the three different classes of GP racing.
Only five riders in the 56-year history of the sport have more podium finishes than Rossi - Giacomo Agostini (159), Angel Nieto (139), Phil Read (121), Mike Hailwood (112) and Max Biaggi (106).
Rossi now has 41 wins from 79 starts for a winning percentage of 51.8%, far superior to that of Australian five-times world champion Mick Doohan (39.4%).
The final race of the season will take place in Valencia on 31 October.
Earlier, Argentina's Sebastian Porto won the 250cc race but could not prevent Daniel Pedrosa of Spain from clinching the world title with a fourth-place finish.
Italian Andrea Dovizioso, who had already clinched the 125cc world championship in Malaysia last weekend, finished ahead of Spain's Jorge Lorenzo to take victory.
MotoGP results
1. Valentino Rossi, Italy, Yamaha, 41 minutes 25.819 seconds
2. Sete Gibernau, Spain, Honda, 41:25.916
3. Loris Capirossi, Italy, Ducati, 41:36.305
4. Colin Edwards, United States, Honda, 41:36.636
5. Alex Barros, Brazil, Honda, 41:36.670
6. Nicky Hayden, United States, Honda, 41:38.029
7. Max Biaggi, Italy, Honda, 41:38.666
8. Makoto Tamada, Japan, Honda, 41:38.784
9. Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati, 41:44.426
10. Carlos Checa, Spain, Yamaha, 41:47.064
Championship standings
1. Rossi 279 points
2. Gibernau, 244
3. Biaggi, 197
4. Barros, 155
5. Edwards, 149 6. Tamada, 139. 7. Hayden, 117. 8. Checa, 115. 9. Capirossi, 110. 10. Ruben Xaus, Spain, Ducati, 77