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Sunday Sep 28 2008
Round 15 - Japanese GP - Race

STONER HANDS OVER TO ROSSI AFTER SECOND PLACE AT MOTEGI

Casey Stoner fought hard with Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi for victory at Motegi today but after a combative and entertaining battle over the opening half of the race the Australian struggled to maintain his strength in the later stages, effectively conceding victory and the world title to the Italian.

Stoner set an electric early pace, including a new circuit record on the ninth lap, as he tried to escape but he was unable to maintain such a high rhythm and after taking second place, two seconds adrift of Rossi at the flag, he now trails by 92 points in the championship - an impossible deficit with only three rounds remaining.

Nevertheless, a ninth podium of the season marked a timely return to form for Stoner and it lifted Ducati to second in the constructors' championship - ahead of Honda but behind Yamaha.

Marco Melandri made a brilliant start from the penultimate row on the grid and was up to eleventh by the eighth lap, when an attempt to pass Dovizioso went wrong as he ran straight into the gravel. The Italian returned to the track to take 13th.

CASEY STONER (Ducati Marlboro Team) 2nd

"At the beginning of the race everything felt good although I made a couple of mistakes on a cold tyre. We were running quite a hard compound today so we needed a few laps to get it warmed up. Once we did that the lap times were good and I felt happy with my pace. Unfortunately in the second half of the race I started to get tired in the changes of direction and I was having to close the gap coming out of the corners to get into the next one - simply because I didn't have the strength to flick the bike over with the throttle open. The lap times dropped off and when Valentino came past I couldn't keep up. He's had an amazing season - he only made one mistake at Assen and the rest of the time he's been on the podium, winning races. He's a worthy champion - eight world titles show that - and I want to congratulate him for that. I'm just disappointed that we made two mistakes in the mid-point of the season that allowed him to open up such a big advantage. Anyway, after the recent misfortune we've had it was important to come back here with a strong performance and some solid points. Now we can go to Australia with confidence and look to finish the season strongly."

MARCO MELANDRI (Ducati Marlboro Team) 13th

"I got a good start today but I ran off track when I was in the middle of fighting with a group of riders and lost all the positions I'd made up. It's a shame because it is really hard for me to overtake. I lose so much time on the exit of the corners that I'm always a long way back under braking. We recovered some ground but it wasn't enough. We'll see how it goes in Australia, which is one of my all-time favourite tracks and a place Ducati always seem to do well at."

LIVIO SUPPO (Ducati MotoGP Project Director)

"Casey had a great race today but when Valentino's in the form he was in today there's not much you can do about it. Our congratulations go to him and to Yamaha for a title they truly deserve. The 2008 season has been a difficult one for us but I think we've seen Casey and the whole team demonstrate that they always give everything to the cause and we know now that they can come through the hard times too. We're second in the riders' and constructors' championships with three races to go and we will give our all to hang on to those positions as we look ahead to next season."

Sunday Sep 21 2008
Race day - Vallelunga

FABRIZIO (DUCATI XEROX) TAKES SECOND AT VALLELUNGA, CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE REMAINS IN THE BALANCE

Vallelunga (Italia), Sunday 21st September 2008: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) celebrated a second place finish in front of his home crowd at the Vallelunga circuit this afternoon. A race in which Troy Bayliss could have taken the title, Fabrizio not only took a podium place but also played the role of team-mate to perfection, doing his utmost to help Bayliss take the title, only to see Bayliss fall on the closing lap.

In Race 1, and despite a strong start, Ducati Xerox factory rider Troy Bayliss held the lead for just a lap before the chasing pack started to create problems for the Australian, overtaking him one by one. The 24-lap race was characterised by a battle at the front between Haga, Biaggi and Corser, all strong riders at this track last year too. An anomaly with both the front and rear tyres meant that 39-year old Troy and his Ducati F08 were unable to catch the leaders and he was forced to settle for eventual sixth position. Team-mate Michel Fabrizio rode a consistent first race, starting from, and also finishing in, seventh position.

The second race was one of the most exciting of the season, with Bayliss needing to finish the race just five points ahead of Corser to take the title. Bayliss made another flying start and held the lead this time for the first five laps, before Haga passed him for the first time. Bayliss and Haga held the lead for the rest of the race, battling it out for first place while a hungry Fabrizio chased Corser in a battle for third. Fabrizio was aware of the situation and knew that, in taking Corser, he would not only finish on the podium but also help his team-mate Bayliss to take the title. On the final lap Fabrizio achieved his goal, only to see team-mate Bayliss crash out a couple of corners later. Bayliss picked up his bike to complete the race in sixteenth position.

Bayliss' lead in the championship has dropped from 101 to 79 points, ahead of Corser in second and Haga and Neukirchner who now lie in joint third place. Fabrizio take away a healthy 29 points from the weekend's racing and lies in eighth place with 201 points.

Ducati takes solid points today in the manufactures classification and so continues to lead the championship, holding 479 points ahead of second-placed Yamaha (416 points).

Troy Bayliss (Race 1 - 6th, Race 2 - 16th)
"Well of course we were hoping to take the title here today and so of course I'm disappointed. It was a great race and I lost, that's about all I can say. I gave it everything I had in the second race and was fighting to pass Haga. As I didn't know what was happening behind me, and so had no idea that Michel was about to pass Corser, I'd already decided in the closing stages, with six laps to go, that I was going to try and take Nori and either win or crash because I knew that me finishing second and Corser third wouldn't be enough to take the title and I really wanted to finish the job here today. I got close enough but then riding so close to the limit, it only took one tiny thing, either a little bit too much brake or too much lean, and I went down. It didn't end the way we had hoped but we move on, there are still two rounds to go and I have a good points advantage still."

Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 - 7th, Race 2 - 2nd)
"I am really happy with my result although I am obviously really disappointed for Troy. I knew the points situation and knew that I could help Troy by getting past Corser and so I gave it my all. It wasn't easy as Corser was also riding really hard but I managed it in the end and am very happy to be on the podium at my home race. Race one was less of a success for me as we made a wrong choice with regard to the front tyre, in the same way that Troy did. At the end of today, I'm just sorry that me and Troy wont be celebrating together in the way that we might have been. I thank the whole team, the sponsors and my wife who have all helped me attain today's result."

RESULTS: Race 1 - 1. Haga (Yamaha); 2. Biaggi (Ducati); 3. Corser (Yamaha); Race 2 - 1. Haga (Yamaha); 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox); 3. Corser (Yamaha)

CLASSIFICATION: Riders - 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 369; 2. Corser (Yamaha) 290; 3. Haga (Yamaha) 280; 4. Neukirchner (Suzuki) 280; 5. Checa (Honda) 262; 6. Biaggi (Ducati) 212.... 8. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 201; 26.Canepa (Ducati Xerox) 3. Constructors - Ducati 479; Yamaha 416; Honda 357; Suzuki 355; Kawasaki 77

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