Lorenzo crowned 2010 MotoGP world champion as Rossi wins race, Dovizioso - second

Fiat Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo clinched the 2010 MotoGP World Championship on a day that saw Valentino Rossi return to winning ways in Malaysia. Third place for Lorenzo - his thirteenth podium from fifteen races so far this year - was enough to make him only the second Spanish rider ever to win the premier-class crown. Rossi meanwhile put on one of the displays of his career after dropping to 11th at the start, taking his 46th win for Yamaha on the number 46 M1.

Lorenzo got a brilliant start from pole and set off in front with Andrea Dovizioso in tow, whilst Rossi, starting sixth, slipped right back through the field in the charge to turn one. A few corners were enough to let the Italian know that all was not lost today however and he quickly began to pick off his competitors, scything through the field to make it up to third by just the fourth lap.

By now Dovizioso was putting pressure on Lorenzo and on lap nine the Spaniard gave way to the Italian, knowing that finishing safely was more important than the winner's laurels today. Next time around Rossi passed his team-mate and set off after his compatriot, despatching Dovizioso in turn at exactly the same point on the next lap. Dovizioso mounted one more challenge four laps from the end but Rossi, still the reigning World Champion for a few more minutes, was determined to stand on top of the podium and eventually crossed the line 0.244 seconds ahead. The win moves Rossi up to third in the championship, one point ahead of Casey Stoner.

It was Lorenzo's day however and third place for the 23-year-old was enough to seal him an emotional first premier-class title to add to his two 250cc crowns. It was a special moment for the Mallorcan, who has won seven races this year and finished off the podium only twice in a remarkable display of consistency that shows him to be a deserving champion.

"This is a wonderful moment for me, I am so happy to win like this and take my 46th win with Yamaha on ‘my' M1. It was one of my worst starts and for a moment I was really worried, but within a few corners I understood that I could go for it, because my bike felt great today thanks to a small change we made in warm-up, Jeremy's idea really worked! I rode so well and it was a fantastic race, one of the best of my career I think. I wanted this 46th win so much because as everyone knows it's a special number for me! Thanks to my team because everyone worked so hard this weekend and I think this is a great repayment for everyone. To win like this, from 11th at the first corner, is a great feeling. Finally I want to say congratulations to Yamaha and to Jorge; he has been fast all season, at all tracks and in all conditions and he deserves to be the World Champion" - Valentino Rossi.

“I’m very happy with this second place today and it was a great race. We have been fighting for the victory at the last two races at two very different tracks, and also in different conditions, so this is really positive. I tried to stay close to Valentino on the last lap but in the final braking area I wasn’t close enough to take him in the middle of the corner, even though he was too late on the brakes and went wide. Anyway, this result for Honda, Repsol and my team is really important. Last year we were 40 seconds behind the winner in the race here, so to be just 0.2s behind means we’ve moved forward a lot. Also, in the middle of the season, we weren’t on the podium for a long time, so to be back in the top three is very important for us. We have to be happy because this was almost a win, and the riders in front of me are changing at each race, which means we have better consistency. We are happy and I’d like to say thank you to Honda and my crew. From the middle of the season until now we improved a lot because of the hard work of a great team” - Andrea Dovizioso, second place in Sepang.

"This is a dream come true for me today, I can't really believe it yet; I need five minutes on my own just to relax, enjoy the quiet and take in what I have done! This is something I have always wanted and something I've dreamed of my whole life, so it is the most incredible moment for me. It is difficult to find the words to thank everyone, I am just so happy, but I have to say thank you to Yamaha, my team and everyone who has made this happen. I started very well today, I didn't lose any positions but then Andrea and Valentino came past me and I wasn't riding as well as I could have, so I didn't want to push too much. Anyway I knew that winning the race wasn't the most important thing this time. I had to just put myself on autopilot and get the points I needed. Now we can relax and enjoy the last three races of the championship, but first of all we are looking forward to celebrating tonight!" - Jorge Lorenzo.

“I think it's very good for Spain to have another world champion in the top class after Alex Crivillé's first title back in 1999. That was a long time ago… too long. So I'd like to say congratulations to Lorenzo today. He rode very well this year right from the beginning of the season and made very few mistakes - so he deserves the title. Of course, I would like to have been there today to try and keep the championship alive for a bit longer - even if we only had a very small chance of catching him. But it wasn't to be. My recovery and physiotherapy after the operation is continuing to go well, and I hope to feel good enough for Australia and to get back to the level we achieved recently for the last races of the season" - Dani Pedrosa (didn't start MotoGP race in Sepang).

MotoGP Championship Standings:
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 313
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 228
3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 181
4. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team 180
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 179
6. Ben Spies (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 152
7. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team 139
8. Randy de Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP 94
9. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 92
10. Marco Melandri (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 86
11. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 81
12. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team 74
13. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 69
14. Aleix Espargaro (SPA) Pramac Green Team 52
15. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) Interwetten-Honda MotoGP 44
16. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 41
17. Mika Kallio (FIN) Pramac Green Team 38
18. Alex de Angelis (ITA) Interwetten Honda MotoGP 11
19. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) Interwetten Honda MotoGP 4
20. Wataru Yoshikawa (JPN) Fiat Yamaha Team 1