Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix MotoGP 2009

shot taken with nikkor 300mm f2.8 mounted on nikon d80 at 1/200s f/6.3

5 Times World MotoGP Champion takes pole position for today’s start of the race setting the pace at 2’00.518, just 0.569s faster than fellow rival teammate alongside, Jorge Lorenzo, with Dani Pedrosa completing the front row grid qualifying 3rd at 2’01.254. The race started on a wet track after a 35-minute delay due to the heavy rain. Drama during the sighting lap, seeing Lorenzo unable to exit the pitlane in time resulting in relegation from second on the grid to the back.

Delighted, Valentino Rossi sealed the deal at Sepang International Circuit finishing the race in 3rd position behind Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa in a rain-soaked circuit, thus securing his 6th World MotoGP title when disaster struck for Andrea Dovizioso on lap 14 as he slid off the track due to the wet conditions, allowing Rossi to move up into third.

Today’s race went a bit like how the season has gone, because we were so fast on the dry tyres, but it rained right before the race started, so we had to go out on the track without any wet setting, Valentino Rossi.

shot taken with nikkor 300mm f2.8 mounted on nikon d80 at 1/160s f/5.6

Having been pushed throughout the season by his fellow teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, to retain his championship crown, Rossi paid a special tribute to the 22-yearold Spaniard’s efforts. Despite being relegated to the back of the grid, Lorenzo managed to finish the race in fourth.

Casey Stoner continues to dominate following his return to the MotoGP season, finishing the race in 1st position with a total time of 47’24.834 with Dani Pedrosa coming in 2nd.

The conditions were the same for everybody today, and none of us had run a wet setting at this track. The early laps of the race was a bit tentative and going into turn 1 at start of the race, I didn’t get a good start and a few people came past me, Casey Stoner.

He added that he is looking forward to going to Valencia as it is a track which he enjoyed for the past years, and he is delighted to be back on track with the support of his fellow Ducati team and doctors who helped him out.

This year’s turnout at the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix was a sellout, with a total of 102,255 spectators came to watch the race over a 3-day period, with a record of 59,206 spectators on race day.

It was a really big surprise from the number of spectators we had on raceday, most of the seats on the main grandstand was full and the K1 area was also filled with spectators, SIC CEO, Razlan Razali.

shot taken with nikkor 300mm f2.8 mounted on nikon d80 at 1/160s f/10

He added that the huge turnout was not only due to the championship decider for Rossi in Sepang, but our local wildcard 125cc heroes, Elly Ilias and Muhammad Zulfahmi, who finished 16th and 20th respectively out of the 33 riders that started contributed to the good turnout.

In the support race event, Yasuhiro Kuhara, of Team HKL Racing, finished overall 1st in Race 1 of the Malaysian Super Series, crowned this year’s MSS in the Superbikes (Open) category.

shot taken with nikkor 300mm f2.8 mounted on nikon d80 at 1/1000s f/2.8

It was a wet race in Race 2 of the MSS, and we did not expect it to rain. I have to thank my teammates and fans for the support. It was a great season this year, Yasuhiro Kuhara.

At the MSS Championships Night held here after the race, SIC CEO added that there would be more categories next year, to promote the Malaysian Super Series bikes category further and to attract more competitors. He stressed out that SIC is working closely with MAM to promote Malaysian motorsports.

More pictures at my flickr site.