Despite having already claimed the title for this year, Valentino Rossi continued to show the rest of the field why he has totalled 150 podium finishes in all classes of the Moto GP series.

Having been beaten to pole position, as a result of changing weather conditions during qualifying, Rossi was unable to beat Dani Pedrosa into the first corner. Rossi’s main rival throughout t the season suffered badly failing to make progress from his third row start, while the unfavourable weather also saw Britain’s James Toseland start from 11th. At the end of the first lap Pedrosa led from Davizioso, with Rossi third and Casey Stoner fifth, behind the second factory Honda of Nicky Hayden. Alas James Toseland played no further part in the race as a low side on the second lap saw the Sheffield born rider sat in the gravel. Rossi continued to shadow Pedrosa and it soon became clear that his greater pace would see him pass the Spanish rider’s Honda; it was just a matter of where on the Sepang circuit would be easiest.

On Lap ten Rossi took his chance and swept past the Spaniard and into the lead. From then on he set about putting some distance between him and the chasing pack, having stretched the gap to almost two seconds after only two laps of passing the Honda. This just left the rest of the race order to be decided. Lorenzo crashed out from third on lap eleven, leaving the lower step of the podium to be fought out between the satellite Honda of Davizioso and the second factory Honda of Hayden, Stoner meanwhile had slipped down to sixth. With only five laps left to run the white rain flags were displayed around the circuit, dampening the enthusiasm of the riders’ more than the tarmac of the Sepang circuit enabling Rossi to claim his ninth win of the season with only next weekend’s season finale to run in Valencia.
 

Malaysian Moto GP Result
P. Driver Team Time
1 Valentino Rossi Yamaha Factory  43:06.007
2 Daniel Pedrosa Honda HRC  43:10.015
3 Andrea Dovizioso Honda Scot  43:14.543
4 Nicky Hayden Honda HRC  43:14.865
5 Shinya Nakano Honda Gresini  43:16.590
6 Casey Stoner Ducati MotoGP  43:19.647
7 Loris Capirossi Suzuki MotoGP  43:21.943
8 Colin Edwards Yamaha Tech3  43:24.809
9 Chris Vermeulen Suzuki MotoGP  43:29.181
10 Randy De Puniet Honda LCR  43:31.523

Moto GP Rider Standings
1 V Rossi (Ita) Yamaha 357 points * world champion
2 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati 255
3 D Pedrosa (Spn) Honda 229
4 J Lorenzo (Spn) Yamaha 182
5 A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda 161
6 N Hayden (US) Honda 144
7 C Edwards (US) Yamaha 134
8 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 125
9 S Nakano (Jpn) Honda 117
10 L Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki 111