World Champion Casey Stoner (Ducati) MotoGP emphasized his
talent with a lights-to-flag win at Phillip Island, with his team-mate
Loris Capirossi second and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) third. This is
Stoner’s ninth win of the season so far.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V) rode as hard as he ever
has to manage fourth place after his team-mate Nicky Hayden
(Repsol Honda RC212V) was forced out of the 27-lap race on lap
13 with a mechanical problem.
Stoner rocketed off the line to lead into the only turn one on the
superb MotoGP circuit with a sea view. He was pursued by the
fast-starting Hayden, who leapt from fourth to second in that
short burst from the line. Poleman Dani Pedrosa lay third with
Rossi on his tail.
Dani and Rossi spent the first few laps juggling third place
between them, while Nicky stalked Stoner. Both of those riders
were desperate for victory, former World Champion Nicky to
record the first win of his troubled title defence season, Stoner to
win in front of his massed fans. 
Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda RC212V) made a fantastic start to
move up to fourth place from 12th on the grid and set a fastest
lap of the race while doing it. As the field settled down to engage
in the fastest race of the season, it was clear Stoner was
unassailable here barring disaster.
The fight would be for scraps behind the Aussie Champ. By mid-
race Rossi had relieved Hayden of second, with Stoner already
enjoying a 2.5 second lead. Dani held fourth, with Merlandri now
fifth and Capirossi sixth. Here, from approaching mid-race
distance, Capirossi would begin his charge.
But mid-race too would spell disaster for Nicky and it was an
angry Hayden who trudged back to his pit garage when his
RC212V expired. Having qualified in the top four for six
successive races, Nicky was again working hard for a result here.
By lap 15 Stoner had put five seconds between himself and Rossi
with Dani third and a determined Melandri fourth, but on the next
lap Melandri ran wide and let Capirossi through to take his place.
Dani took second back off Rossi on lap 17, but there was more
action to come as the strain on... full story on world.honda.com