Casey Stoner posted a successive victory at the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix on Sunday, but it was Valentino Rossi whose clinched the championship courtesy of a third place podium spot.
Stoner's win was very impressive enough, as was the near 15 secs margin over Dani Pedrosa, but it was the Italian's ninth world title that took the acolades for the season. A Seventh time championship winner and successive defender of his 2008 title.
The race started late because of some heavy local rain, and there was incident straight away. Spaniard and title challenger Jorge Lorenzo being relegated from second to the back because of his failure to make the grid in time..
It didn't seem to matter though as Lorenzo flew his motorcycle to overtake Rossi, who slipped to tenth after a slow start from the pole. Lorenzo eventually coming fourth overall.
Meanwhile, Stoner was building a four second lead at the front over Pedrosa after only two laps.
Nicky Hayden on the Ducati Marlboro bike struggled to keep Lorenzo in fifth place, but the Fiat Yamaha rider managed to pass the the American before Italian Rossi passed both to slip into fourth spot after eight laps.
Very soon, Stoner, growing in confidence had extended a 15 second lead, and with Andrea Dovizioso on the Repsol Honda motorcycle sliding off in the wet on the 14th lap, Rossi moved into third behind the Spaniard Pedrosa.
