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Valentino
Rossi rode a perfect race to win Yamaha’s home Grand
Prix in Japan today, claiming the 2008 MotoGP World
Championship title in the process. In doing so the
29-year-old Italian became only the second rider in
history to recapture the title after two years, the
other being Giacomo Agostini, whose all-time victory
record Rossi surpassed at the last race in Indianapolis.
This is Rossi’s third title with Yamaha, his sixth in
the premier class and eighth in total in a career
spanning 12 years.
Rossi slipped some places at the start and was in fifth
first time around. He soon found his rhythm however as
his Bridgestone tyres warmed up and he passed Lorenzo
and Nicky Hayden on the next lap before settling in
behind Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa, the three
contesting the next four laps within a few tenths of a
second of one another. On lap six both Rossi and Stoner
got by Pedrosa and from then on the Italian was on his
championship rival’s tail, determined to find a way to
pass him and win the race despite the title being his
with a podium finish. With ten laps to go Rossi did just
that and it was then a straight run to the finish as he
pulled away from Stoner, crossing the line 1.943 seconds
and 92 championship points ahead to seal a very special
title after two barren years.
Rossi has won eight races this season and, with three
remaining, he is still in with a chance of matching the
11 he won in his second season with Yamaha in 2005.
Today’s win was his 70th in the premier class, his 96th
in total and his 148th career podium.
Valentino
Rossi - Position: 1st, Time: 43'09.599
“It’s a great victory and a great achievement; I think
it’s at the same level as the first title in 2004 with
Yamaha, maybe even better! This championship has been
very long and hard and all of the team and all of Yamaha
have worked very well, never giving up for one moment.
We have been able to put a great bike onto the track in
all conditions and at all circuits, and this has allowed
me to ride like this and to win so many races. I am very
happy! The race was a great battle and I had to ride at
100%, like I have through all through the season!
Pedrosa and Stoner today were very strong and it was fun
to fight with them like this, I am happy that it was a
good race for the fans.
"It was a fantastic feeling to take the title with a
win, like I did in 2001 and 2004. I think this is the
hardest I have ever had to work to win a world
championship and I have to say a huge thank you to
Yamaha, my mechanics, the team and everyone involved for
working this hard alongside me. Of course I also have to
say a special thank you to Bridgestone, they have done a
great job with the tyres all season and the decision to
be with them has been a big part of our success this
season.
"We have lost for two years and I don’t think I was the
favourite this season, but we have shown that we are a
great team and that we never give up. I am so happy that
I have now won three titles with Yamaha because this is
how many I won with my last team and I want Yamaha to
have the same merit – I am a Yamaha rider and I feel
different with Yamaha than with anyone else before – I
hope we will have more together! Now I have to get used
to being World Champion again!”
Davide Brivio - Team Manager
“Simply amazing! Every time he surprises us. We’ve
already been working together for five years and what he
can deliver on the track is always unbelievable. This
year is another demonstration of how strong Valentino
is, especially to come back to this level of performance
after two very hard years. We knew we had to improve the
bike and make it faster after last year and Yamaha have
done this, but Valentino worked very hard in the winter
too and, together with Bridgestone, we were able to
start very strongly and get better as the season
progressed.
"2006 and 2007 made everyone stronger, including the
relationship between Valentino and Yamaha; we knew that
we didn’t want to be in this situation again and so this
has been a great motivation for this victory.
Congratulations to Valentino, to all the team and Yamaha
engineers, and thank you to Bridgestone, Fiat and all of
our sponsors and partners. Congratulations also to
Jorge’s team and to Tech 3, they have all played a big
part in winning the Triple Crown.”
Jorge
Lorenzo just missed out on a podium at Motegi today,
finishing fourth after a hard fight with Dani Pedrosa.
His team-mate Valentino Rossi won the race to take his
eighth world championship title and Yamaha and the Fiat
Yamaha team also secured the Team and Manufacturer’s
titles, both of which Lorenzo has played a significant
part in during his rookie season.
After
dominating qualifying, the young Spaniard was looking
forward to being able to fight for the win today but
much lower temperatures made things harder for him and
he was unable to keep up quite the same pace as he had
yesterday. He slipped to fourth at the start, was
relegated to fifth by Rossi on his charge to the front
on the second lap and then took six laps to pass Nicky
Hayden to regain fourth. The determined rookie was then
1.6 seconds from third-placed Pedrosa but he put his
head down and pushed as hard as he could to bring
himself into touching distance for a showdown on the
last lap. Lorenzo made his move at the hairpin but was
unable to make it past Pedrosa today and had to settle
for fourth and 13 points, leaving him 40 points adrift
of his fellow Spaniard, who is third in the
championship, with three rounds remaining.
Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 4th, Time: +6.165
“I am very happy with this fourth position; it was
impossible to do more today. I tried so hard to pass
Dani and the hairpin before the back straight was the
only place I had the chance, but I couldn’t do it.
Yesterday I thought I had a chance to win and I was very
confident, but this morning I saw the weather, much
colder and yesterday, and I knew that it would be more
difficult than in the qualifying session.
"The track was colder and for Michelin and for me this
was more difficult. I have to improve my starts because
once again I had problems and lost some places, but
anyway I think I’m in good form for the last three
races. The team worked very well this weekend, as
always, so thanks to them and to Michelin. Big
congratulations to Valentino and the other side of the
box, to do what he has done is almost impossible!
Finally well done to everyone for winning the Team’s and
Manufacturer’s titles as well, I am so happy that I have
played a part in this during my first season with
Yamaha.”
Daniele Romagnoli - Team Manager
“Obviously, after yesterday’s qualifying, we hoped for a
better result, but today Jorge did the best he could. He
rode in a very fast and aggressive way but the weather,
with the colder ground temperature, didn’t help us and
we achieved as much as we were able. Many thanks to the
team for their work because the bike setting was very
good, but we do need to work on our race start.
Congratulations to Valentino for the world championship
title, won so far in advance, but we are also happy
about the ‘triple crown’ of Team and Manufacturer’s
titles because we have played an important role in these
titles.”
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