Australian world champion Casey Stoner claimed his 10th MotoGP victory at the
Malaysian Grand Prix Sunday with a powerful performance from start to finish.
The 22-year-old Ducati rider started from second position on the grid but soon
took the lead and faced little threat from other riders including five-time world
champion Valentino Rossi on a Yamaha who only managed fifth place.
Stoner finished the 21-lap race with a time of 43 minutes 04.405 seconds.
The Australian who was in the lead most of the time said the heat and being
alone in front were the main challenges of the race.
"Riding conditions was difficult. It was also difficult to be in front all by myself,"
he said.
Stoner said he made some mistakes and was forced to adopt to "different riding
techniques" to maintain the lead.
Italian Marco Melandri, riding a Honda, finished second, 1.701 seconds behind
Stoner while Honda rider Dani Pedrosa - who is vying with Rossi for second place
in the championship standings - was third.
Stoner has 347 points. Rival Rossi is on 241 while Pedrosa with 217 points has
managed to cut the point difference down to 24 after his podium finish in Sepang.
It was Stoner's first MotoGP title at Sepang, a circuit dominated by Rossi in past
years. The Australian won here in the 125cc race in 2004 and the 250cc in 2005.
Rossi finished 4.773 seconds behind Stoner.
Stoner, who clinched his first world title in Japan last month, has been one of the
fastest and most consistent riders of the season, which ends in Valencia on
November 4. 
Melandri, who secured his first podium finish in Sepang
said he was unable to catch-up with Stoner.
"But it has been a great weekend for me in Sepang. It
was an amazing race," he said. The Italian lies fourth
with 174 points.
Pedrosa who finished in 43 minutes 06.731seconds said
he rode hard for a strong finish but faced braking
problems.
"I tried to do my best. At the start I had problems in
braking. But after the petrol level when down, I was able
to increase my speed," he said.
Rossi, who requires just a single point during the final
race in Valencia to secure second place, said he could
have performed better if he had started in the first row
instead of the third.
"Of course I am disappointed with the fifth place," he
said. brisbanetimes.com.au
pics from motograndprix.it