lee
12-24-2008, 11:37 AM
Preseason 250 title favourite Alvaro Bautista won his fourth victory of the year at Sepang but it wasn't enough to stop Marco Simoncelli taking the crown. Simoncelli finished the race in third spot, which was all he had to do when Bautista took the win. Last year's Sepang winner Hiroshi Aoyama took third, 2.5sec behind Bautista and 3.3sec ahead of Simoncelli, who celebrated his success by riding a victory lap without helmet. That trick netted him a SIOOO fine. Back in the parce ferme his mechanics wore Afro-style wigs mimicking the Italian's wild mane of hair.
162
Simoncelli might have had his title celebrations delayed if Julian Simon and Mika Kallio hadn't broken their engines. Simon was once again on top form, the Spaniard leading the earlier stages, thanks to a setup tweak his crew discovered a few races back. Once Simon had gone it was a straight three-way fight, Bautista taking the lead for the first time just after half-distance, having completed lap one in seventh spot. At first the Spaniard didn't break free from the attentions of Aoyama, Simoncelli, Simon and Kallio. "I tried to slow the race, in the hope that other riders would get ahead of Simon celli, leaving me one more chance to get the title at Valencia," said Bautista.
162
Simoncelli might have had his title celebrations delayed if Julian Simon and Mika Kallio hadn't broken their engines. Simon was once again on top form, the Spaniard leading the earlier stages, thanks to a setup tweak his crew discovered a few races back. Once Simon had gone it was a straight three-way fight, Bautista taking the lead for the first time just after half-distance, having completed lap one in seventh spot. At first the Spaniard didn't break free from the attentions of Aoyama, Simoncelli, Simon and Kallio. "I tried to slow the race, in the hope that other riders would get ahead of Simon celli, leaving me one more chance to get the title at Valencia," said Bautista.