Race Weekend - Sepang

The Shell Advance Motorcycle Grand Prix brought the DeGraaf Grand Prix Team only three points after a very good 8 and 12 qualification positions. Swiss rider Randy Krummenacher was the only rider of the team who scored a 13^th position and got three points. Danny Webb crashed out after a good start in the first lap and wildcard rider Blake Leigh-Smith did a good job by finishing the race on the 21^st position

Danny Webb started the race from the 8th position and had a good start. Directly the British youngster was in the middle of the leading group but high sided in the first lap in the hairpin. The race was already over for Webb in the first lap and this time he didn’t made it without an injury. Webb broke a little bone in his left foot but said already he will be riding during the last race at Valencia on the 8^th of November.

Danny Webb (DNF):

“I’m really disappointed today about this crash. I had a good start and was directly in the leading group. The first lap you really have to push to stay in this group. I pushed to hard coming out of the hairpin and high sided. After race I went to Doctor Costa and it was clear I broke a little bone in my left foot. This won’t be a problem for the last race in Valencia. It’s very frustrated to end the race like this after the good qualification session. I will take the coming two weeks a lot of rest and hope to finish the season with a good result.”

During the very hot Shell Advance Motorcycle Grand Prix qualification the DeGraaf grand Prix Team manage to qualify on the second and third starting row. British rider Danny Webb manages to park his Aprilia RSA on a fantastic 8 position at the second row. Swiss youngster Randy Krummenacher came in his last flying lap to a very good 12^th position and will start tomorrow from the 3^rd row. Wildcard rider Blake Leigh-Smith had a big improvement compare to the Friday and qualified on 29th position. 

The second free practice Saturday morning went much better for the DeGraaf Grand Prix riders Danny Webb and Randy Krummenacher. In this session the British and Swiss rider had nearly exactly the same lap time with only 0,009 seconds difference. Krummenacher ended this session on 14^th position and Webb one place behind his team-mate at the 15^th spot. Australian Blake Leigh-Smith manages this session to improve his lap time with more than two seconds compare to the Friday session and finish on a 31st place.

The Saturday qualification went very good for the DeGraaf Grand Prix Team. British youngster Danny Webb was able to grab the last position on the second row at an 8^th spot. Webb builds up his speed carefully and picks out on the right moments his flying laps. With less than ten minutes on the clock Webb came to the 6^th position. In his last flying lap the youngster was able to improve again but had to give in 2 positions but still will start the race form the second row.

Danny Webb (8^th, 2:14,920):

“This was a good qualification session. Yesterday I wasn’t happy with my position and not really satisfied with the set-up of the bike. The team worked hard to improve the front and we are going in the right direction. The bike felt good in the qualifying and especially when I went out the second time at the track I had a good feeling. In the last ten minutes I got a new rear tire and pushed to bike to the limit. I manage to ride without a slipstream to the second row. I’m happy about today. Tomorrow I need a good start and than it is possible to finish in the top 10.”

After the cold weekend in Australia last week, the DeGraaf Grand Prix Team started today the weekend in a very hot Malaysia. During the Shell Advance Motorcycle Grand Prix the DeGraaf Grand Prix Team will compete with three riders. Next to the permanent riders Danny Webb and Randy Krummenacher the young Australian rider Blake Leigh-Smith will compete in the Grand Prix’ with a wildcard. 

British rider Danny Webb had not a good start of the weekend. In the last ten minutes Webb lost the front and crashed. This innocent crash was the end of the session for the English man who had troubles with the front. Webb closed the session on a 22nd position with less than 3 seconds behind the provisional pole position.

Danny Webb (22^nd, 2:17,815):

“I didn’t have a good feeling with the bike today. I have a lot of problems considering the front. The feeling is not good and it is hard to find the limit in the corners. I had a little crash but this isn’t giving me confidence. We will work hard to get a good set-up and after my front row of qualifying last year I still think we’re able to put the bike on the first two rows tomorrow in the qualification session.”

British rider Bradley Smith secured the runner-up spot in the 125cc World Championship standings with a solid second place ride in the penultimate race of his fourth full Grand Prix season, at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, early on Sunday.

Starting from third place on the grid in the sweltering heat at the south east Asian venue, Smith produced another mature and professional display as he battled with his recently crowned World Champion team-mate Julián Simón for the race win – eventually crossing the finishing line just over a second behind his fellow Bancaja Aspar rider.

Unfortunately there was not quite such good news for Gloucestershire’s Scott Redding or Kent’s Danny Webb, who both failed to finish the race. Webb was involved in a spectacular looking first lap crash, whilst Redding retired later in the race due to a technical fault.

In the MotoGP race Valentino Rossi’s third place in difficult wet conditions was enough to earn him his ninth World title (his seventh in the premier class), as he crossed the line ahead of championship rival and Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo who was fourth. The brilliant Casey Stoner won the race by 15 seconds from second placed Dani Pedrosa, whilst James Toseland picked up a solitary point in 15th place.

The World Championship concludes in two weeks’ time in Valencia with the final round of 2009 taking place over the 6th-8th November weekend.

Race Results

1 Casey STONER AUS DUCATI 47'24.834
2  Dani PEDROSA SPA HONDA 47'39.500
3  Valentino ROSSI ITA YAMAHA 47'44.219
4 Jorge LORENZO SPA YAMAHA 47'50.684
5  Nicky HAYDEN USA DUCATI 48'03.539
6  Chris VERMEULEN AUS SUZUKI 48'05.895

MotoGP World Championship Positions

1 ROSSI Valentino 286 points
2 LORENZO Jorge 245
3 STONER Casey 220
4 PEDROSA Dani 209
5 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 152
6 EDWARDS Colin 148

125cc World Championship Positions

1 SIMON Julian 264 points
2 SMITH Bradley 203.5
3 TEROL Nicolas 173.5

Following his fourth consecutive podium finish in Australia Bradley Smith could clinch the runner-up spot in the 125 cc World Championship at the Shell Advance Grand Prix of Malaysia in Sepang on Sunday.

The Oxfordshire teenager holds a 21 point advantage over third placed Nico Terol with two rounds remaining after his Aspar team-mate Julian Simon clinched the title in Australia.

The other two British teenagers in the 125 cc World Championship have had a tough time but both scored some welcome points in Australia. Redding overcame some desperate mechanical problems to finish 11th while Webb, despite two big crashes over the Australian weekend, was 13th.

James Toseland has two more MotoGP appearances and the Yorkshireman deserves a change of fortune. The Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider jumped the start in Australia, endured a ride through penalty and finally finished 14th.

QUOTES

Bradley Smith

“Congratulations to Julian on the winning the title and I certainly gave it my very best shot to take it to Malaysia. Now I have to concentrate to ensure I finish second in the Championship which I could do on Sunday.”

Scott Redding

“At last I scored some points and perhaps my luck will change in those last two races, starting on Sunday.”

Danny Webb

“It was a tough weekend in Australia but at least I took some points and that’s the aim in Malaysia and Valencia.”

James Toseland

“I’m struggling to express how I feel after the jump start decision in Australia. All I can do before I go out of MotoGP is give it my very best in those last two races.”

ROSSI POISED TO RETAIN THE TITLE

Italian Valentino Rossi is poised to retain his World title in the penultimate round of the title chase at Shell Advance Grand Prix of Malaysia in Sepang on Sunday.

Rossi’s second place at the previous round in Australia has given the eight times World Champion a massive chance of making it number nine. He leads his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo by 38 points after the Spaniard crashed at the very first bend at Phillip Island to wreck any chance he had to prevent Rossi winning the World title.

Rossi has to leave Malaysia with a 25 point lead going into the final round in Valencia and has a great record round the 3.447 Sepang circuit. He has won the premier class five times including last year and is confident of being the star guest at a World Championship winning party in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday evening.

Despite a few bruises after his high speed crash at turn one, Lorenzo will be fit to ride in Sepang where he won the 250 cc race in 2006 but he knows deep down his chances of taking the title have gone.

Australian Casey Stoner arrives in Sepang full of confidence after his win at Phillip Island on the Marlboro Ducati. His fitness is not in doubt and the 24 year old aims to finish his difficult season with a bang by winning the last two races. He moved into third place in the Championship in front of Dani Pedrosa after his win and won at Sepang two years to add to 125 and 250 cc victories at the circuit situated close to KL International airport.

It’s tough for Pedrosa as he fights against the Yamahas and Stoner’s Ducati in the searing heat on Sunday. Despite some brilliant starts, the Repsol Honda can’t stay the pace and he’s often left in a lonely third place. Like Stoner he’s won in the 125 and 250 cc classes but still awaits that first MotoGP victory at Sepang.

Behind Pedrosa in fourth place the Championship really hotting up. His Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso is fifth but just seven points in front of the consistent Colin Edwards, riding the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha. Behind the American it could not be closer with three riders on equal points.

Following his fourth place in Australia Italian Alex De Angelis shares seventh place with Frenchman Randy De Puniet and Sepang MotoGP winner Loris Capirossi. Just one point behind them is Italian Marco Melandri with Toni Elias and Chris Vermeulen also in the hunt.

Spaniard Aleix Espargaro looks likely to replace the injured Niccolo Canepa in the Pramac Ducati team.

Marco Simmoncelli’s sixth win of the year in the shortened 250 cc race at Phillip Island has blown the World Championship wide open. The Italian World Champion know trails Japanese Honda rider Hiroshi Aoyama by just 12 points with two rounds remaining. The Championship will be between these two after Alvaro Baustista crashed out in Australia although he remounted to finish tenth in the race which was shortened following the crash of Simoncelli’s team-mate Roberto Locatelli.

Spanish Aspar rider Julian Simon clinched the 125 cc title in Australia after his last lap victory over team-mate Bradley Smith. The British teenager consolidated his chance of finishing second in the Championship and leads third placed Nico Terol by 21 points with two rounds remaining.

EVENT TIME SCHEDULE

Friday 23 October

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1
13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1
15.10 – 16.10              250cc Practice 1

Saturday 24 October

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2
09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2
11.10 – 12.10              250cc Free Practice 2
13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying
13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying
15.10 – 15.55              250cc Qualifying

Sunday 25 October

09.40 – 10.00              125cc Warm Up
10.10 – 10.30              250cc Warm Up
10.40 – 11.00              MotoGP Warm Up
12.00                           125cc RACE (19 laps)
13.15                           250cc RACE (20 laps)
15.00                           MotoGP RACE (21 laps)

Schedule is local time

Time Zone GMT + 8 hours