From Ducati

LORIS CAPIROSSI SCORES GREAT MOTEGI WIN, CASEY STONER 2007 WORLD CHAMPION

The Ducati MotoGP Team enjoyed its greatest day in Japan today, Casey Stoner securing Ducati's first MotoGP World Championship and Loris Capirossi winning the race, run in tricky conditions on a drying track. The result triggered scenes of unbridled joy in the Ducati MotoGP Team pit, in the more than one thousand fans who watched the race in the Borgo Panigale Factory with the CEO Gabriele Del Torchio among them and in all the Ducatistis around the world.

Australian genius Stoner had to finish today's race ahead of Valentino Rossi to wrap up the title with three GPs remaining, and he did that, no problem, finishing sixth after leading the early stages. The race couldn't have been more nerve-wracking: it started on a slightly damp track, most riders choosing rain tyres, then the circuit dried out enough for riders to swap to slick-equipped bikes. Capirossi was one of the first riders to switch, at the end of lap nine, and his strategy paid rich dividends, the 2005 and 2006 Japanese GP winner going on to score a Motegi hat-trick, 10.853 seconds ahead of his closest rival. Stoner swapped bikes at the end of lap 14 and maintained his renowned cool to become the second youngest premier-class World Champion, after American legend Freddie Spencer. So far this year Stoner has won eight races, taken three further podium finished and scored five pole positions.

CASEY STONER, 6th, 2007 MotoGP World Champion on 297 points
"At the moment it all feels a little bit unrealistic! I'm struggling for words, I don't think there's any feeling that can compare to this, but I think it's really going to sink in as the day goes on and heads into tomorrow. The race started out quite well, we were able to get up front quite early and I had a reasonably good feeling with the bike, I was in a happy position. But then my rain tyres started wearing out as the track dried, and Valentino and Dani (Pedrosa) came past. I didn't really know whether to come in or not, then my team put 'box' on my pitboard, so I had a bit more confidence to come in. After I changed bikes there was something up with the steering damper, the bike wasn't allowing me to tip into corners, so I had to slow down to unwind it. Then I started to find more of a rhythm, Valentino had a problem and we managed to finish ahead of him. I guess that was the aim of the game today. Towards the end everything was creeping into my head, so I just tried to stay focused on the job in hand, I wanted to bring it home for my team. The whole thing is a bit overwhelming, because we didn't really expect to get the championship today, it's come on me quite quickly. There's a lot of people I have to thank: my parents, who have always been there for me, they've supported me throughout my career, my wife Adriana's who's been there this season and the past few and everyone else who's helped me along the way - Ducati, my whole team, Bridgestone tyres, a big thanks to everyone who's had anything to with my career - we finally did it!"

LORIS CAPIROSSI, winner, 7th in World Championship on 130 points
"We struggled a lot this weekend and only yesterday did we find a better set-up solution. When I woke this morning and saw the rain I said 'wow, for sure this is going to be a difficult day'. We didn't know which would be the best tyres to use, so we started with medium rain tyres. At first it was really difficult, so I decided to pit early, and for sure my tactic was the best because I won my third consecutive race here, it's a great moment for me. It's also a great day for Casey, for Ducati and for the team. I congratulate Casey, he's a really strong rider, I'm very happy for him."

GABRIELE DEL TORCHIO CEO Ducati Motor Holding
"This success, besides its great strategic value, is the best demonstration of Ducati excellence, is a triumph of Italian intelligence, talent, competences and the warmth that is one of our country's most vital assets. It's an important and remarkable achievement, 34 years after the premier-class World Championship was last won by an Italian factory. It is a dream come true. We are speaking of a great feat realised thanks to Casey's commitment, bravery and team work, united with the work of our draughtsmen, technicians, engineers, team members, sponsors and everyone at the factory. They have all worked with great passion and great skill to obtain this championship win, a success emphasized by today's win by Loris, to whom we say a hearty thank you for the great job he's done these past five years. The joy and the pride of experiencing this historic championship result pay back all our efforts and can only encourage us towards even more important and remarkable goals, both in the sporting and commercial arenas."

CLAUDIO DOMENICALI, Ducati Corse CEO/Ducati Motor Holding product director
"It is a dream come true - a fantastic feeling, really fantastic. I don't have enough words to thank all the guys who have contributed to this incredible achievement, which shows that Italy is a nation whose passion and talent can succeed in a hugely technically advanced field. It's certainly a good reason for Italians to be proud - proud about the talent of our engineers and about the quality of our universities. It is also a sign that allows Italy to look to the future and into globalization with a pinch more optimism."

From Yamaha

Title bid over for Rossi but sensational fourth place for Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 in Japan

Weather and tyre issues brought about an end to Valentino Rossi's slim title chances today, as he finished 13th in Motegi despite a heroic ride which saw him lead the race at one point. His Fiat Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards suffered similar problems in what was an extraordinary race, finishing one place behind Rossi in 14th.

With the asphalt still wet after a morning of light rain, the riders started with wet-weather tyres on a fast-drying track. Rossi got a poor start from second on the grid and crossed the line for the first time in seventh place, with Edwards behind him in eighth. An outstanding ride from the seven-time World Champion then saw him fight his way back to the front, making up five seconds on the leaders and taking the lead on lap 14. The racing line by now was almost completely dry however, and behind him most riders had already opted to pit and change onto their second bikes with slick tyres. When Rossi eventually came in to change one lap later he had built up such a lead that he was able to re-join the race in second place, behind eventual winner Loris Capirossi, but Yamaha's jubilation was short-lived as Rossi immediately ran into serious issues with his front tyre and was forced to pit again. He rejoined the race in 15th but was able to make up only two places to the finish as he struggled with grip. Edwards, who was in third place when Rossi came in for the first time, rejoined in eighth but had similar tyre problems and also dropped back through the field to cross the line two seconds behind his team-mate.

Casey Stoner took sixth place, which was enough to secure him the World Championship title. Rossi remains second and 26 points clear of Dani Pedrosa, who failed to finish the race, while Edwards drops two places down the standings to ninth, with three races remaining.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 13th Time: +1'09.699
"It's a great pity for us how everything has turned out this weekend, because in the dry we were faster than Stoner and we could have had a good chance. The first problem today was the weather this morning, but actually we were able to find a good setting for the bike and when the race started we were quite hopeful. I got a bad start but on the drying track I had the fastest pace and I was able to make up five seconds to the leaders. After I passed Melandri I came into the box to change and maybe this was one lap too late, but our strategy was more or less okay because I was able to come back into the race with only Loris in front of me. We had an intermediate front tyre, a slick cut which is normal in these situations, but the bike was almost impossible for me to ride and turn and it felt like there was something seriously wrong. I came back in but my mechanics could see there was nothing wrong so I went straight out again, and by then it was too late; the race was over for me and the championship was gone. After four or five laps the tyre began to work better and I was able to keep going to the end, but without this problem it would have been possible for me to be on the podium or even to fight for the win with Loris. The conditions were very unfortunate. However this is racing and now we have three more races and we will do our best to find a way to win and end the season on a high note. I'm really sorry for my fans and for everyone in the team. Congratulations to Loris but especially to Casey on becoming world champion. I am very flattered that he made a dedication to me on his victory t-shirt, if someone else has to win then I am glad it's one of my fans! He is a great rival and I hope that we can continue this rivalry into the future."

Colin Edwards - Position: 14th Time: +1'11.735
"From the beginning it was really a little bit too dry - the bike felt a lot better this morning when it was wetter. To be on rain tyres on a track like that was quite limiting and as it got drier I was just conscious of needing to conserve my tyres as best I could. It was actually going okay and I made up a fair bit of ground from the start, but I think we probably came in a couple of laps too late to change bikes. In the end though it didn't matter because the front tyre I went back out on, the cut slick, was a disaster and I had no choice but to slow right down while I tried to figure out what on earth was going on. Valentino came in because it was such a bad feeling and I nearly did the same thing, but in the end I stayed out and just tip-toed around until I could work out how to kind of ride it. I thought this morning that we had a half way decent chance today, so it's a real pity. Thanks to all my guys and everyone in the team, they worked as hard as ever and everyone deserved a better result today. Congratulations to Casey as well, he's ridden great all season and he deserves the title."

Davide Brivio - Team Director
"In the first part of the race, with the fast-drying track, the conditions were exactly like those in which we had some problems earlier in the season. Valentino however rode an outstanding race and was able to recover almost five seconds to the top riders after a bad start. After he came into the pit to change his bike, he rejoined the race in a good position but was forced to come back to the pit again because he thought there was a technical problem in the front. Our mechanics checked quickly but found everything to be normal, so he went back out onto the track. In reality the problem was with the front tyre, which made his bike unrideable for the first few laps after the change. After he rejoined it took him several laps to "understand" the front tyre, and then was able to finish the race. Colin too had the same feeling with the front tyre after he changed bikes and he too took several laps before he was able to ride the bike as he wanted. Our strategy was almost perfect, since Valentino was able to rejoin the race in second position, but unfortunately with the slick tyres we were not able to stay on top. My congratulations to Stoner for this title, we have a great rival for the future and we hope that next year will be very exciting."

Sensational fourth place for Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3

In one of the most dramatic races on record, the Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 Team scored its most impressive result to date when MotoGP rookie, Sylvain Guintoli rode his Yamaha YZF-M1 to a sensational fourth place in the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

The race commenced on a wet, but drying track. Conditions soon improved ensuring that the riders timing of the all important pit stops to change to bikes fitted with lightly cut slick tyres would be crucial. Astute judgement and skill plus the performance of the tyres in the varying weather conditions would be the governing factor. In the circumstances Sylvain gave a faultless display to finish just 1.2 seconds from second place and a tantalisingly close 0.566 of a second from the podium.

Sylvain constantly recorded the fastest lap of the race as he made his charge through the field after his stop, passing most of the field including Valentino Rossi. He then became embroiled in a titanic struggle with Toni Elias for third that wasn't decided until the final corner.

Teammate Makoto Tamada rued his decision to stay out on a drying track with his wet weather tyres for an extra two laps before pitting to finish in 12th place.

Sylvain Guintoli - Position: 4th Time: +0'12.192
"This has got to be one of the best days of my life! To finish fourth in a MotoGP is something I could only dream about at the beginning of the year but I will always think how close I was to a podium. I tried very hard on the last lap to pass Toni but I didn't want to try too hard and end up in the gravel. I got a good start and decided to come in early to try and make a move on the leaders and it worked. To be fastest on the track for so many laps was very satisfying and I missed out on fastest lap of the race by so little in the battle with Toni. Also I was able to pass Valentino so I have done that twice this year. I'd like to thank the team and Dunlop so much as I will always remember this weekend."

Makoto Tamada - Position: 12th Time: +1'09.313
"I wish I could be as happy as Sylvain but I made the wrong tyre choice for the wet, as they were a little too soft. Plus I stayed out on the track too long when it dried out. If I had come in a few laps earlier I'm sure I could've been up there as well but in these conditions everything is a bit of a gamble."

Herve Poncharal - Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 Team Manager
That was an incredible weekend. Sylvain had a really strong start to the race from 18th on the grid. He was catching a lot of riders and made the perfect decision to be one of the first to come in and went out on cut slick tyres and from that moment he was the fastest on the track lap after lap to get up to fourth. He went so close to a podium and that is a little disappointing but he rode so well and to have finished fourth is something we will remember for a long time. It was also very satisfying to achieve the result in Japan at the home of Dunlop and shows all the hard work the company has put in.

From Kawasaki

TRIUMPHANT KAWASAKI CELEBRATE IN JAPAN

An elated Kawasaki Racing Team are today celebrating Randy de Puniet's superb second place at the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, after one of the most thrilling races in recent MotoGP history.

The 26-year-old Frenchman, starting from fourth on the grid, got off to a patchy start when he dropped back to 10th place as the pack launched itself off the line. He then had to contend with a couple of trips into the gravel, and a pit stop to change bikes, but it all failed to stop him from scoring his first ever premier class podium position.

What started as a wet race soon turned out to be a dry one and pit lane was a hive of frenzied activity as, one by one, riders came in to change bikes and slick tyres became the order of the day. De Puniet swapped machines at the end of lap seven and went from eighth position to 13th when he rejoined the track. From there, he made steady progress until finding himself behind eventual winner, Loris Capirossi, on lap 16, where he stayed until the end. It is a longed-for and hard-earned reward for him, his crew, the team and Bridgestone who are also celebrating: all today's top three riders, plus new world champion, Casey Stoner, are in partnership with the Japanese tyre manufacturer.

Anthony West, also rode what can only be described as an incredible race. From sixth on the grid, the Australian found himself leading by the end of the second lap but, after a jump-start, he had to complete a ride through penalty and rejoined the pack in 14th. However, the 26-year-old was in no mood to give in and continued to fight his way back until he then had to pit again, this time to change bikes. In the process, he went from seventh to 11th but still he rode hard, eventually, and against all odds, finishing the race in a magnificent seventh, equalling his previous best MotoGP performance at Laguna Seca, where he'd encountered none of today's obstacles.

Wild card rider, Akira Yanagawa, also has something to smile about. Five years after debuting the first 990cc Kawasaki MotoGP bike at Motegi, but failing to finish after a mechanical problem caused him to crash out, the 36-year-old has now completed a premier class race, taking 17th position in a field of 21. He pulled a huge wheelie over the line, much to the delight of the team who were, by this stage, clambering all over pit wall in euphoria over all three riders' achievements.

It was a particularly special race for Kawasaki: the team's first 800cc podium, the first podium this season, West leading a MotoGP for the first time and Yanagawa finally completing a premier class race. And all at the manufacturer's home round.
Randy de Puniet: #14 - Position - 2nd
"I'm very happy because that was a really hard race. I chose to use a hard rain tyre but after a few laps it felt too hard and twice I ended up in the gravel, losing me a lot of time. I changed to the bike with the slicks and, when I exited the pits, I thought my race was over but I continued to push. When I saw on my pit board I was in second I was really surprised but to be on the podium in Japan for Kawasaki and Bridgestone is perfect. And I'm really grateful to my crew because they've worked so hard to help me get here."

Anthony West: #13 - Position - 7th
"I could have done so much better. It was great to lead the race but I'm angry I jump-started. The ride through lost me a lot of time and then I didn't know about changing the bikes because I've never done it before. When I did come in, I stalled and that lost me even more time. I didn't know what was going on and it was pretty nerve-wracking. But the bike felt great today and I felt strong, too, which is why I was able to get to the front. Considering I had to stop twice and stalled the bike, I guess seventh's not too bad!"

Akira Yanagawa: #87 - Position - 17th
"It's not the best position but my aim was to finish and I have. Five years of waiting is over! I had a problem with the rear brake at the start so I had to come in and change my bike, which had slicks on it and, at this stage, the track was still quite wet so it was like riding on an ice rink for a few laps. But then I started to make progress and my lap times were good. I'm really glad I finished at last!"

Michael Bartholemy: Kawasaki Competition Manager
"A great race and a good weekend. It's our first podium since the team have gone in house, so it's quite a big moment for us, especially as it's come at our home race and in front of our Japanese colleagues, who have put so much time and effort into making our Ninja ZX-RR so competitive. We were leading with Anthony and yes, we had his drive through penalty, but then he came back and rode a brilliant race. Congratulations also to Akira, who finally managed to finish his home race after five years of waiting. And we're on the podium with Randy so, unless you win, I don't think it gets much better."

From Rizla Suzuki

Top-10 for Hopkins as unlucky Akiyoshi is forced to retire

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP had a frustrating Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi today with all three riders suffering various levels of difficulties over an entertaining and bizarre 24-lap race.

John Hopkins was the highest finishing Rizla Suzuki rider with 10th place. He struggled to get enough grip right from the start of the race - which was wet after heavy showers this morning - and lost several places early on. As the track began to dry he pitted his GSV-R at the end of lap 10 to change to a machine with dry tyres. He re-joined the race in 16th place and set about chasing down the pack in front of him, fighting his way through the field and eventually bringing his bike home in 10th.

Chris Vermeulen's race was nearly over on the start-line as his bike stalled just as the lights changed to go. One of his mechanics had to run on to the grid and re-start the bike before Vermeulen could get away. Suzuki's Australian star was over 40 seconds behind the leader at the end of lap one, but he fought his way back into contention and was at one point inside the top-10. He finally followed team-mate Hopkins home in 11th place, which was a tremendous effort considering his start.

Kousuke Akiyoshi was the unluckiest of all three Rizla Suzuki men today. The Japanese test rider, making only his third Grand Prix start, was in a comfortable seventh place - in front of many established MotoGP stars - before a mechanical issue forced him to retire with just over three laps remaining.

Today's race was watched by a colourful and enthusiastic Japanese crowd who saw Loris Capirossi on his Bridgestone-shod Ducati win his third Japanese Grand Prix in succession. Casey Stoner, also on a Ducati, was crowned MotoGP World Champion after his sixth place was enough to secure him the title.

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP now travels south across the Pacific for the only round of the championship staged in the southern hemisphere. Round 16 of the MotoGP World Championship will be held at Phillip Island in Australia on Sunday 14th October.

John Hopkins:

"The race was all over the place with the drying track. I think I chose a bit too soft of a compound when we first went out and I was sliding around a lot and lost quite a bit of time. I came in and got the dry bike and set about working as hard as I could. I ran off the track once and we had a couple of little mechanical issues, but nothing too serious. We needed to salvage some points from today and we did that. I would like to say congratulations to Casey on winning the championship today - he certainly deserves it. Other than that I hope we have a lot better time in the next three races than we did at this one!"

Chris Vermeulen:

"We had a problem at the start which certainly wasn't good. The guys had to run on the track and start my bike for me. When I got going I felt alright, but the track was drying quickly and I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to come in and change bikes. It was difficult to gauge how quickly to go in those conditions and when I went out on slick tyres there was still a lot of water on the track so it was quite slippery! It was all about taking risks and trying to be quick in some places and smooth in others. We really struggled to get enough heat into the tyres and brakes in these conditions, but in the last few laps we got going. To come from nearly a minute behind on the first lap to 11th is ok, but it is not good enough. I have got to work on my qualifying and we need to fix the problem with the bike in time for the next race back home in Australia. Finally, well done to Casey, it's good to see an Aussie as champion; I just need to make sure it's me next time!"

Kousuke Akiyoshi:

"I was having a good race and really enjoying myself. The bike and the tyres were working well and I thought I was going to get a good finish. But something happened to my bike and I had to stop. I am really disappointed because I would like to have given Suzuki a good result as a thank you for this weekend!"

Paul Denning - Team Manager:

"It's been a difficult weekend for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP in Motegi and today the luck didn't go with us either. I feel particularly bad for Akiyoshi-san. He did really well all weekend and looked set for a good finish. He made a great effort here, turned a few heads and deserved a better result - he was faster than Chris and John today and can be proud of his efforts.

"Chris and John both had a number of issues; most notably Chris with his bike stopping on the start-line and neither of the guys had a good feeling in either the wet or dry conditions. We've had a great season so far, but this weekend is a clear demonstration that you can't assume anything and we will have to work extremely hard between now and Phillip Island to make sure we are back on the pace.

"On behalf of Rizla Suzuki MotoGP I would like to say well done to Casey Stoner, Ducati and Bridgestone for a well deserved World Championship. We'll be working overtime between now and the start of next season to make sure we are in a position to compete with them in 2008."

From Honda

RAIN SPOILS HOME GRAND PRIX FOR REPSOL HONDA TEAM

The Repsol Honda Team endured a disappointing Grand Prix of Japan on Sunday as wet, unpredictable track conditions prevented Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden from capitalising on their excellent qualifying display yesterday. The 24-lap race began with a wet track and Pedrosa made a lightning start from pole position, stretching a useful gap in the first few corners at the 4.801km (2.981-mile) Motegi circuit. As the track began to dry and with surface conditions changing constantly Pedrosa initially slipped to fourth before once again clawing back time on the front three.

With a dry line emerging, the MotoGP riders began diving for the pits to change to machines fitted with tyres more suited to the increased levels of grip. However before making the switch to dry-weather tyres and while lying in second place, Pedrosa was unfortunate to highside his RC212V in the final chicane on lap 15, and his race was finished. It was a disappointing end to a weekend during which the 21-year-old Spaniard had been fastest in every dry session.

Unfortunately for the factory Honda squad, Hayden also had a tough race today. From third on the grid, the World Champion made a decent start and was battling with the leaders when he began to detect a problem with the feeling from his RC212V. Without the confidence to fully commit in the tricky conditions, Hayden slipped through the field before deciding to enter the pits early and swap to his second RC212V fitted with cut slick tyres - the first time in his career that he has ridden on this type of rubber. The 26-year-old American rejoined the race in 17th place before working his way up to ninth at the chequered flag.

Today's race was won by Loris Capirossi, with his team-mate Casey Stoner finishing in sixth position to seal the 21-year-old Australian's first World Championship.

Despite the home race disappointment the hard working Repsol Honda Team remains at Motegi for testing, though after his heavy crash Pedrosa will miss the test and return home where he will have further scans to determine if he has a fractured bone in his left foot.

Nicky Hayden
Position: 9th - Fastest lap: 1m 52.840s - World Championship position 8th - 112 pts
Front tyre: 16.5" Michelin wet
Rear tyre: 16.5" Michelin wet
"After the weekend we were having and how we felt after qualifying yesterday, it was a shame to see it rain this morning, but the weather is what it is. I went out in the warm-up this morning and it didn't feel too bad - I was fifth fastest in really wet conditions. But as soon as we started the race, basically after one lap we're not sure what happened - whether it was the tyre or something electronic -- but the bike became very difficult to ride and I just went backwards. I think I was the first one to come in and the track was still pretty wet but I needed to come in and switch bikes. Luckily for me the track started to dry pretty fast and after a few slow laps I was able to get rolling. Really I think we're lucky to salvage some kind of result out of the day -- if it had stayed wet we could have been in even more trouble. But ninth position for Honda's home race is not the result we'd hoped for. It's the first time in my life I've ever been on cut slicks -- I've been in rain tyres or intermediates before -- so I did get some useful experience. We've still got three more races and we'll keep fighting. Lastly, congratulations to Casey. There's a new World Champion today and so congratulations to him and his whole team -- they truly deserve it."

Dani Pedrosa
Position: DNF - Fastest lap: 1m 58.519s - World Championship position 3rd - 188 pts
Front tyre: 16.0" Michelin wet
Rear tyre: 16.5" Michelin wet
"Well this is obviously a very disappointing finish to what had been a promising weekend until this morning. In the dry we seemed to have a very good package, but the drying track for the race turned things into a bit of a lottery. Still, I made a good start and felt reasonably comfortable in the early laps of the race. I was able to catch back up to the leaders but then fell in the last chicane. I don't really know what happened, the back just snapped around even before I had given any throttle. With hindsight, perhaps I should have come into the pits a little earlier, but that's an easier call to make now than at the time. We can certainly take some positives from this race even though the result is disappointing for me and the team. I think we had a good chance of winning if it had stayed dry so we must just continue trying for the final races. The more worrying thing for me right now is that it feels like I have broken a bone in my left foot. I will have more x-rays and really hope I'm fit for the next race in Australia. Congratulations to Casey on the championship. He has been very strong all season and really deserves the title today."

Makoto Tanaka - Repsol Honda Team Manager
"Well yesterday was very good but today was a bit of a disaster for us. The race started wet and I was very surprised with how fast the track dried. Dani was able to ride with a good pace from the start but Nicky had some problems and had to come into the pits and the timing of this was not bad. He changed to a cut slick tyre and the machine settings were not perfect for the conditions. Before the race it was decided with Dani that the timing of the bike change would be the rider's choice. It was unfortunate that he crashed just before coming in and I think in the same circumstances we would bring him in earlier next time. So this was a disappointing day for us but the team will continue to fight in the final three races of the year."

From Dorna

The long wait for the standout performer of the season is over: Casey Stoner has finally achieved his dream of becoming the 2007 MotoGP World Champion. Sixth place at the A-Style Grand Prix of Japan, coupled with closest rival Valentino Rossi's desperate misfortune with his setup that left him in 13th position, was enough for the Australian to establish an unattainable points advantage and become the second youngest MotoGP World Champion in history.

The race itself was also history in the making; the first ever wet-dry Grand Prix in which riders were permitted a change to a dry set-up. The forgotten man of Ducati this season, Loris Capirossi continued his Motegi winning streak after gambling on an early change. The Italian won by over thirteen seconds in one of his final races for Ducati, the third time in as many years that he has taken victory in Japan. Many had written-off ?Capirex's chances of another win for the Italian factory team, but the well-travelled veteran showed his expert judgement with a perfectly judged strategy.

Randy de Puniet took his first ever podium finish in second, Kawasaki's best result of the season. The Frenchman came back from two early run-offs, and kept his cool to bring the Ninja ZX-RR800 home in a rostrum place. He was joined by Toni Elias, a consistent threat in wet or dry who changed bikes at the perfect time. Elias had to be quick on his still injured leg to change machines in pit lane, and was put to the test as he was hunted down before putting in the fastest lap of the race with two to go.

The man that had him most closely in his sights was Sylvain Guintoli, who took a superb fourth onboard the Dunlop-shod Yamaha M1. Continually putting in the fastest laps of the race, Guintoli squeezed out everything he could from the 800cc machine to come close to his first MotoGP podium, but despite coming up short had an amazing race for his best MotoGP result.

Finishing fifth, Marco Melandri had led the race during the wet stage after a fantastic start. The Italian made a masterful move when passed by Valentino Rossi, darting into the pits to make his change the moment he relinquished the lead.

However, all eyes were on the man in sixth, as Stoner wrapped up the title with his lowest finish of the season, a sign of his tremendous consistency in 2007. Having stayed out longer than most of the field when battling for the lead, the Ducati rider came in with ten laps to go to switch to his dry bike. Rossi stayed out, and when the Italian did make his change Stoner was in fifth place. Another visit to the garage for Rossi when he ran off track, followed by more problems for the former champion, meant that Stoner could relax whilst Rossi had to endure the torture of riding in a lowly position knowing that the title was lost. For Stoner, the elation of the moment was obvious; for a devastated Rossi there was little to say.

In the lead on the opening laps, Anthony West was called in for a ride through penalty by Race Direction for a jump start; a setback for the Kawasaki rider that he refused to let affect him. Alex Barros, Nicky Hayden and John Hopkins completed the top ten, ascending a place each when Suzuki wildcard Kousuke Akiyoshi was forced to retire when above them, and 2006 MotoGP World Champion Hayden was one of the first to congratulate his successor Stoner on the cool down lap.

Poleman Dani Pedrosa suffered a highside after staying out longer than every other rider apart from Rossi, paying the price for pushing too hard on wet tyres.