MCNEWS.COM.AU - The ultimate in motorcycle news MotoGP 2009 - Round 16 - Sepang - Preview
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 Rossi verging on ninth world title at Sepang

MotoGP heads to South East Asia this weekend for the 16th round of the 2009 FIM World Championship season, as Valentino Rossi sits within touching distance of securing a seventh premier class title at the Shell Advance Malaysian Grand Prix.

A top-four ride for Rossi in Sepang would be enough for the Italian to be crowned the 2009 World Champion on Sunday.

Second place behind an impressive Casey Stoner at the Iveco Australian Grand Prix extended Rossi’s lead at the top of the title standings to 38 points, thanks in large part to title rival and Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo’s first-lap crash at Phillip Island.

The Spaniard’s inability to complete the race means that even if he wins at Sepang, Rossi only needs to finish fourth to take his ninth world title across all classes. Lorenzo is the only rider who can stop Rossi from taking the title in Malaysia and it is a place where, in his rookie MotoGP season last year, Lorenzo retired after crashing. A win in 250cc is his best result there.

Rossi has a rich history of good form at Sepang, where he won from second on the grid last year and has seven podium finishes in the premier class in total, including five wins.

Ducati Marlboro man Stoner overtook Dani Pedrosa in the standings with his third victory in as many years on his home track, and the Australian is back to full fitness after his three-race break. Last year saw the 24 year-old place sixth at Sepang, but in his title-winning 2007 season Stoner won in Malaysia, so has pedigree there.

Pedrosa is six points adrift of Stoner in fourth place in the championship, but his impressive record of always finishing on the podium at Sepang – he placed second last year – means he should be amongst the frontrunners as well, having finished third in his last three races this season.

Pedrosa’s Repsol Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso made the podium in Malaysia in his debut MotoGP season last year and will hope to improve on his sixth place in Australia, while hot on his heels in the championship is Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards – the Texan has never finished in the top three at Sepang.

The points spread from seventh to tenth in the championship standings between Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini), Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) and Marco Melandri (Hayate Racing) is just one, as the battle for seventh place intensifies.

Marco Simoncelli’s win in a shortened 250cc race in Australia, combined with Hiroshi Aoyama’s seventh place at Phillip Island, means the defending World Champion is now 12 points behind the current championship leader with two races of the season remaining.

Simoncelli is taking each race as it comes in his bid to retain his title before his step up to MotoGP next season, but Aoyama is still the standard bearer as the riders head for South East Asia.

Aoyama could still end the title challenge of Simoncelli in Sepang by claiming the crown himself – a win for the Japanese rider and no higher than fifth for his Metis Gilera rival would deliver that, while there are a host of other permutations involving Álvaro Bautista (Mapfre Aspar) and Héctor Barberá (Pepe World Team) as well.

Simoncelli has only ever finished on the podium at Sepang once, coming in third in his title-winning season last year, while Aoyama has enjoyed a win and second place in his last two seasons.

Barberá’s second place in Australia narrowed the gap on the championship’s third-placed rider Bautista, who crashed and ended tenth in the race, to four points, while Mattia Pasini in fifth place in the standings failed to finish.

Bautista won last year’s race at Sepang and Barberá came second in 2007, so both have experience of faring well at the circuit.

A last-lap win in Australia delivered Julián Simón the world title after an enthralling battle with Bradley Smith, and now the British rider can further secure his grip on second spot in Malaysia.

Having seen his decision to step back down to 125cc from the 250cc class justified with his title at the weekend, Simón will now want to secure his first-ever podium at Sepang.

Smith’s fine season could continue in Malaysia, at a track where he finished second last year from 13th on the grid, and he has now put together a solid run of four consecutive podium finishes.

The 19 year-old can still be caught by third-placed Nico Terol (Jack & Jones), but with a 21-point gap going into the final two races of the campaign it would take a reversal of his impressive displays to date.

A further 20 points behind Terol sits fourth-placed Pol Espargaró who finished fourth at Phillip Island after qualifying on pole, with Sergio Gadea completing the current top five.

The first practice of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Sepang starts at 12.40pm local time (5.40am BST) on Friday.

--  Ducati Preview

After spectacularly guiding his Desmosedici GP9 to the top step of the podium in his home Grand Prix on Sunday, Casey Stoner heads to Malaysia this weekend for what promises to be the ultimate test of his physical condition. Whist heavy rain is never far beyond the horizon at Sepang, intense heat and humidity are always guaranteed and it is a test of endurance for the riders out on track and the mechanics in the team garage. The Australian, who was in fine physical condition following the race at Phillip Island, took victory at Sepang in 2007 and is confident of being in the right shape to work well towards this Sunday’s race and towards next season when practice gets underway on Friday.

Nicky Hayden suffered torrid luck in Australia but if there is one rider on the grid who never gives up and always looks to the future it is the American. For that reason, instead of reflecting on the memory of a first corner incident that saw his race ruined at Phillip Island he prefers to concentrate on the good work he did with his mechanics at that race and focus on producing more of the same in Malaysia.

CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team (3rd in the championship on 195 points)
“In the past I used to like racing in the heat but last year in Malaysia I was racing with a wrist injury and I’ve had the physical problems everybody knows about so I suppose it’s a combination of factors that I have suffered with in recent hot races. But at Phillip Island things went so well from a physical point of view that I feel reasonably confident. It will definitely be a tough race as being fast and consistent in those conditions is always difficult regardless. It is not easy to find the perfect set-up here but that’s always been the case and with every day that passes I feel stronger and more confident that I can be competitive in both of the two races that remain. The track has become a little… boring for me I suppose you could say – just because we have done so many laps here in testing – but the races are usually fun and I like the place. It has a kind of holiday feel to it and it puts you in a good mood.”

NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team (14th in the championship on 82 points)
“I wouldn’t say that Malaysia is one of my favourite circuits and it’s almost as if I’ve got ownership on fourth place there because I finished in that position five times out of six! Having said that if I were to manage fourth place this year I’d probably be more than happy. We’ve arrived here on the back of a disappointing weekend in terms of what might have been but that’s over now and we have to look forward. I’m expecting the usual heat – having suffered from the cold in Australia it will be the opposite here – but it will be interesting to get back on track at a place we have tested at. Sepang is one of the circuits where I have ridden the bike the most, back in January, and we have made a lot of progress since then. Fortunately I’m faster now so it will be interesting to see where we’re at.”

LIVIO SUPPO, MotoGP Project Director
“We’re coming on the back of a really positive Grand Prix for us in which Casey was able to ride as he knows and as he likes, and most importantly having fun. Even though he was lacking a little grip the bike was very competitive and Casey made the most of it to put on a real show. In Malaysia we’re going to come up against temperatures that are very different to Phillip Island and it will be another test of his condition. At the moment he prefers cool conditions but in the past the heat has never bothered him and in fact in 2007 he won! As far as Nicky is concerned, we know that despite the disappointment of his race being ended so quickly and by something that wasn’t his fault, especially following all the progress made last weekend, his positive character and determination will see him giving his maximum once again from Friday onwards.”

THE TRACK
Sepang hosted a Grand Prix for the first time in April 1999, with races in Malaysia having initially taken place at Shah Alam and Johor. A much loved venue for the teams and riders, the circuit is located in the thick of dense tropical forest, a short drive away from the Kuala Lumpur International airport, and has a modern infrastructure with good safety features. The track is the longest on the World Championship and one of the widest, reaching 16 metres, featuring a good mix of corners that put the machines and riders to the test. Intense heat and humidity, with the constant threat of torrential rain, increase the challenge for the riders, teams and anybody else in pit-lane! In fact, one such downpour in 2006 saw qualifying cancelled for all three classes and grid positions were decided by the free practice classification.

--  HRC Preview

The penultimate round of 2009 MotoGP World Championship takes the Honda riders to Sepang, Malaysia for the final flyaway of the season in what is traditionally the most physically demanding race of the year and a race where Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) typically excels.

If history is any judge, Pedrosa will be spraying champagne from the podium on Sunday afternoon. The Spaniard put his pole positions the last two years to good use; he was second in 2008 and third in 2007. His record in the smaller classes is even more impressive. From second on the grid, he won the 250cc race in 2004, a year after he won the 125cc GP.

Pedrosa will be looking to build on superb third-place finishes in the previous three races in Estoril, Misano, and Phillip Island as he fights for third in the championship. The Phillip Island result was his ninth podium of the season, four of which came in the last five races.

The 2009 World Championship will likely be decided in Malaysia, with Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) poised to take his seventh premier-class title, the first three of which came aboard Hondas. If Rossi finishes fourth or better in either of the final two races, the title will be his, even if teammate Jorge Lorenzo wins both races. Pedrosa is only six points behind Casey Stoner (Ducati) in their own battle for the final spot on the championship podium.

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) has fond memories of Malaysia, which he considers his favourite track. It was here that he climbed the MotoGP podium for the first time by finishing third in 2008. Having won at the British Grand Prix, third is no longer good enough, and the Italian has his sights on moving up the steps of the podium. In order to get there, he knows he must have a strong qualifying effort, which he’s resolved to do.

With their finishes in Phillip Island, the Repsol Honda teammates helped solidify Repsol Honda as the runner-up spot in the Team championship.

The San Carlo Honda Gresini teammates arrive in Malaysia with plenty of motivation. Six riders are separated by six points in their quest to finish seventh in the championship. Alex De Angelis is one of three riders tied for seventh with 101 points, teammate Toni Elias has 95.
Elias is looking forward to Sepang, a track he likes for the layout and the weather, more similar to his home in Spain than the cold and wind of Phillip Island.

De Angelis is coming off a strong fourth place finish in Phillip Island where he was part of the lead quartet before the factory machines got away. Still, on his production Honda RC212V he was only one spot off the podium on the fastest track of the year. It is in the fast corners where De Angelis excels, which is why he did so well in Australia. Sepang is a more stop-and-go course, which will make his race more difficult. The Sepang track has been good to the rider from San Marino, with runner-up finishes in the 250cc class in both 2005 and 2006.

Frenchman Randy De Puniet is tied in points with De Angelis.

Gabor Talmacsi (Scot Honda MotoGP) loves Sepang and for good reason; he has two 125cc victories at the track outside of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. The Phillip Island race was one of his best of the year, not only for his finish, but for the amount of data the team was able to accumulate. Putting that data to good use will be the key to the Hungarian’s success in Malaysia.

Hiroshi Aoyama (Scot Honda) could well wrap up the 250cc World Championship in Malaysia, but it won’t be easy. Some bad luck in Phillip Island cost the Japanese rider 14 points of his title lead and a new rival. A late season revival has put current champion Marco Simoncelli (Gilera) in the frame, which his why Aoyama will need to be at his best. That shouldn’t be an issue. Aoyama won the race in 2007 and finished second last year. This year he’ll turn 28 on race day. What better way to celebrate than with a win.

Raffaele De Rosa (Scot Honda) had a breakthrough weekend in Australia. The 22-year-old from Naples took his first ever pole in the 250cc class and followed it up with his first 250cc podium in the red flag-shortened race. The podium finish vaulted him to sixth in the championship. With two races to go, De Rosa’s momentum could take him to fifth overall. Regardless of where he finishes in the next two races, his first year in the 250cc class will be his best ever in grand prix racing.

Hector Faubel (Valencia CF-Honda SAG) had a great ride in Australia and is looking forward to building on what his team learned there for another great result this weekend. And the Spaniard needs a great result; he is currently eighth overall and on course for a top-ten championship finish, but the rider currently in tenth spot is only two points behind!

For Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda PTT-SAG), Sepang is something of a home grand prix. Malaysia hosts the closest race to his home in Thailand and he can count on the support of the locals, as well as family, in the second to the last race.

Shuhei Aoyama, the younger brother of championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama, is looking forward to Sepang so he can erase the memories of an off day in Australia. Held only a week later, Sepang will give Aoyama to continue to re-acclimatize to 250cc racing after a year in World Superbike. Since his return, Aoyama has shown he’s lost none of the corner speed from his earlier days in the class.

The CIP Moto-GP250 team of Shoya Tomizawa and Valentin Debise have been threatening to score more top ten finishes ever since Tomizawa finished tenth in his home grand prix at the Twin Ring Motegi. At 17 years of age, Debise has had a steep learning curve, while Tomizawa, 18, has done himself no favours by failing to score points in six races. Both are looking forward to visiting Sepang for the first time.

The Sepang International Circuit is the hottest and most familiar on the World Championship calendar. Until the recent reduction in off-season testing, teams would visit the facility south of Kuala Lumpur two or three times over the winter. Weather was the reason.
Tropically hot and humid all year round, Sepang’s consistent weather conditions make it a great testing venue. Tropical downpours are always a possibility, however, though the track dries quickly.

At 5.548km, the ultra-wide track is a mixture of corners, ten rights and five lefts, with two sixth gear straightaways – the longest straight is the start-finish at 920 metres. There are a number of fast corners that open up onto straights, one brisk change of direction, and a hairpin leading onto the start-finish straight. What riders need most is a bike that accelerates hard, while getting the power to the ground, lots of top-end grunt, and stability on the brakes.

Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) says: “Sepang is a good circuit and I always look forward to this race. I’ve won here previously with Honda in the 125 and 250 classes, and I’d really like to add a MotoGP win to those victories. It could be tough, because we know how fast our rivals have been recently, but, still, the win is what we’ll be aiming for, as always, and also to challenge Casey (Stoner) for third in the championship. The track has a fast and challenging layout, plus the hot, humid conditions we encounter here always means this is a physically demanding race for the riders, although we’re well prepared for it. It will certainly be a big contrast to the cold weather conditions we rode in at Phillip Island last weekend. At the moment, we are looking to improve the stability of our machine and it’s important that from the first moments of practice that we use all the preparation time available to us to arrive at the best possible package for this race.”

Andrea Dovizioso (Repsol Honda) says: “I really look forward to racing in Malaysia as this is my favourite track and I have good memories here. Last year I had a strong race in Sepang and scored my first podium in MotoGP on the RC212V for the Scot Honda team. I’m also confident about this weekend, because during the last part of the race in Australia my feeling with the bike improved a lot, and if we make a good start in practice on Friday I think we can go on to be competitive in the race. As we saw in Australia, it’s so important to secure a good position on the grid if you want to fight for the leading positions. Sepang is an excellent circuit and because of this I enjoy the Malaysia Grand Prix very much. It’s a complete track, with various fast and slow sections, and also the circuit is wide, which lets you try different lines. With the MotoGP bike, it is really fun and it’ll be great to get back out there Friday.”

Alex De Angelis (San Carlo Gresini Honda) says: “In theory Malaysia will be more difficult for us because our strength all season has been in the fast corners, which there are a lot of at Phillip Island but not so many at Sepang. There are a lot of hairpins where you need good acceleration and drive out of the corners and this has been a weak point for us. Having said that, I am in great form at the moment, the bike is working well and we are full of confidence. I’m going there seventh in the championship, with a smile on my face and really looking forward to competing again."

Randy De Puniet (LCR Honda) says: “We had quite a good weekend in Australia, but everything changes in Malaysia. The conditions are so different – maybe from 16 degrees to 35 degrees – that the bike changes, the tyres change and the feel you get from the machine changes. It will therefore be important to work very well during the three sessions. I had a good battle with Dovizioso, Kallio and Melandri at Phillip Island and I hope we have more fun this Sunday.”

Toni Elias (San Carlo Gresini Honda) says: “Australia was a difficult weekend for us but we knew it would be and there were no surprises. The good thing was that we stayed well in touch with seventh place in the championship and my goal over the final two races is to achieve that position. We had problems with rear traction at Phillip Island and it has been our Achilles heel all season but we are very confident it won't be a problem in Malaysia. I love the track and the conditions will suit us much better, so hopefully the race is more like the others we have experienced in the second half of this championship, with a competitive weekend fighting for a top six finish.”

Gabor Talmacsi (Scot Honda MotoGP) says: “I’m very positive about Sepang. I love the track. I've got two victories, there in the 125cc class. We analysed the data from Phillip Island to have a better performance next weekend, because I feel I can fight for a better position. It will be hot, but I’m not worried. If I can have an easier bike, there will be no problems.”

-- Yamaha Preview

This weekend the MotoGP paddock heads to the tropics for the penultimate round of the season, the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. Fiat Yamaha Team riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo have won 10 out of 15 races between them this year and there has only been one race when one of the pair has not been on the podium, making it the most successful season in the team's history. This weekend Rossi has his first 'match point' - his first chance to win his ninth world championship title.

The 30-year-old's second place last Sunday in Australia meant that he now holds a 38-point lead over his team-mate and he will win the title simply by keeping a buffer of 25 points between him and his rival after Sepang. Thousands of kilometres of testing at the Kuala Lumpur track mean that most riders have the advantage of local knowledge, but Rossi has an impressive five Sepang victories to his name, including last year when he took a resounding victory fresh from wrapping up the title in Japan. In 2005, second place at the track was enough to secure the Italian his second title for Yamaha and he will be determined to do the same this weekend and avoid a final-race showdown with his team-mate for his seventh premier-class title.

A difficult weekend for Lorenzo at Phillip Island ended in the gravel trap at turn one and the Mallorcan is happy to have the chance to put it behind him so quickly. He escaped with just a few cuts and bruises and, with the championship now all by out of reach, the youngster is simply focusing on a good finish to a brilliant championship and on confirming the number two spot in the standings. The 22-year-old crashed out on lap 12 of the race last year but he nonetheless has a good past record at Sepang, having won there in 2006 and clinched his second 250cc title there in 2007.

Built as a state-of-the-art motor racing venue 1999, at 16 metres across in some areas Sepang is one of the widest tracks on the calendar. With its tropical climate it could not present more different conditions to those of Phillip Island last weekend and the searing track temperatures and high humidity turn the race into a test of endurance and fitness for the riders. With four major hairpins and some fast and frequent changes of direction in its 5.542km layout, Sepang provides a stern workout for the entire bike set-up and its largely consistent, if demanding, climate makes it the ideal winter testing venue.

Valentino Rossi - "Match point"
"Phillip Island was like gold dust for us in terms of points and now we go to Malaysia, another of my favourite tracks, with our first 'match point'. Of course anything can happen but it's a great track for me and generally the Yamaha works well there so we have a good chance. We worked brilliantly in Australia and we know that if we can do the same at Sepang then we can have another good weekend. There is no chance to relax - everyone is focused, motivated and excited now that we are at this stage and our number one target for the weekend is to try to close out the championship. We will do our best and see where we are on Sunday night."

Jorge Lorenzo - "Looking to achieve our target"
"After the disappointment in Australia I am glad to have the chance to be back on the bike so soon. I am not hurt and I will be in good shape to race. We don't think about the championship now; my target is to confirm the second place in the championship and, in just my second season in MotoGP, I think that this is a great achievement and I will be happy if I can do it. I like Sepang a lot, I know it well from testing and I have some great memories, especially in 2007 when I took the 250 title there. This time my team and I will just be focused on having a good weekend and getting as many points as we can in order to achieve our target."

Davide Brivio - "An exciting weekend for everyone"
"We're almost at the end of the championship and Sepang could be the most important race of the year for us. Even though it comes just a few days after Phillip Island we will be back to full concentration and putting our heads down at the circuit from Wednesday. The aim of course is to do the best we can and hopefully secure the title; we have a 38-point lead but we will have the same tactic as in Australia - one eye on the title and one eye on trying to win the race if possible. It's going to be an exciting weekend for everyone."

Daniele Romagnoli
"The first priority for Malaysia is just to be back on the track and in good shape after what happened in Australia. We did some good testing in Sepang last winter and we know that we're capable of being back in the race there, and this is the main target for everyone. We have two races left and our target is to confirm second place for Jorge and just do the maximum we can in these two important races to finish a great championship in the best way."

-- Suzuki Preview

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP makes its way north across the Timor and Java seas from Australia this week, as it heads to the heat and humidity of Sepang in Malaysia for the penultimate round of the 2009 MotoGP season.

Following a tough weekend at Phillip Island which saw Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi finish in 11th and 12th places respectively, the pair will be looking to put this firmly behind them at the 5,548m Sepang International Circuit.

Capirossi finished seventh in Malaysia last season after a race long battle with several other riders that saw the Italian racer in touch of a podium finish. Capirossi has tasted success at Sepang after winning the MotoGP race there in 2005 and also finishing runner-up the following year. Vermeulen has recorded a couple of top-10 finishes in Malaysia from his three previous visits and will certainly be aiming to improve on his ninth place last year.

The Sepang International Circuit was constructed in 1998, making it one of the most modern on the MotoGP calendar. It's mix of 15 corners interlinked by two long straights either side of the most architecturally pleasing grandstands anywhere in motorsport make it one of the best tracks anywhere in the world and a favoured test track for most of the MotoGP teams.

Rizla Suzuki takes to the track on Friday - for the first of two free practice sessions - the second being held on the following morning. Qualifying for the 21-lap race will take place on Saturday afternoon, with the main event getting underway at 15.00hrs local time (07.00hrs GMT) on Sunday 25th October.

Chris Vermeulen: "I'm looking forward to getting to Sepang and putting last weekend behind us. It's a circuit we all know very well because we do a lot of testing there. It's going to be very hot and humid - a lot different to Phillip Island - and the GSV-R has performed well there in the past so that's what we'll be looking to aim for. We have a good base setting so hopefully it will work out for us and we can be competitive from the start."

Loris Capirossi: "Sepang is a good track for the bike and for me because we did a very good winter test there and we are very optimistic about going there. The bike is very different now to the one we tested back then, but we want to try to go well - like we did in the winter - and I really believe we can push hard for a good result."

--  Bridgestone Preview

Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Hard, Extra Hard. Rear: Medium, Hard

The weekend after the Australian Grand Prix the MotoGP paddock action restarts in Malaysia at the Sepang circuit for the penultimate round of the World Championship. The Malaysian Grand Prix has been run as the penultimate round for the last two years, but in both instances the World Championship title had already been decided prior. This time however the fight for the crown is still going.

Sepang has the longest lap of any MotoGP circuit at 5.548km and is characterised by two long straights preceded by slow corners.

Good grip on corner exit is crucial from these to maximise speed along each straight. The temperature is generally the highest of any race on the calendar which brings its own challenges for riders and tyres alike.

As the track temperature often reaches 50 degrees Celsius or higher, focus, concentration and rubber are all tested to the limit.

The circuit features five left- and ten right-handers and the loads and stresses are focused upon the front tyre rather than the rear.

There are many areas of heavy braking from high speed which also load the front tyres, so harder compounds have been selected to cope with the pressure.

Bridgestone has a good record at Sepang in recent years. Loris Capirossi took victory in 2005 followed by Casey Stoner in 2007, both for the Ducati Team, and Valentino Rossi triumphed last year with Fiat Yamaha. The circuit is also one of the few on the calendar that also hosts Formula One grands prix, so Bridgestone has plenty of winning experience to call upon.

Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department
“It was at the Malaysian Grand Prix last year that the announcement was made that Bridgestone would be the Official Tyre Supplier to MotoGP, and I am proud of what we have achieved since then. To come back to Malaysia as we near the end of our first year of sole supply and see the championship title still not decided is a good thing and I think shows how close the competition has been at the front this season.”

Tohru Ubukata – Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department “Sepang is a good challenge for our tyres because it is the longest circuit on the calendar and it is often the hottest with track temperatures over 50 degrees Celsius not uncommon. The two long straights really test engine power, but they also demand good shoulder grip from the rear tyres on the exit of the last two corners to maximise straight-line speed, and good braking performance at the end of each as riders decelerate from over 300 km/h to around just 80km/h. “We can afford to choose softer compound rear tyres here to maximise shoulder gripbecause the loads throughout the lap are focused on the front tyre, which consequently needs to be harder. Normally when bikes are upright along straights, the lateral loads on the tyres are minimal and air-flow is maximised so there is a greater cooling effect, but at Sepang the track temperature itself and the heavy braking at the end of those straights when the bikes are still upright can actually generate significant temperature in the centre of the tyre, so durability of this centre section is a key consideration here.”

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