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16th October, Sepang -
With MotoGP having already crowned Casey
Stoner as its new champion and the battle
of 125cc riders looking set to go to the
wire to the season
finale in Valencia, motorsport fans at
Sepang Circuit will look to Jorge Lorenzo
for a world championship celebrations at
the 2007 Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand
Prix this Sunday.
With a 45-point advantage over second
placed Andrea Dovizioso as the
championship enters its penultimate round
in Sepang this weekend, the crowning of
Lorenzo as the 250cc world champion for a
second successive year is almost certain.
The flamboyant Spaniard merely needed to
finish among the top 11 riders to secure
the required five points to hoist his
second world crown and to declare his
departure from the 250cc class to compete
in the MotoGP next season against the
likes of Stoner, Dani Pedrosa, Nicky
Hayden and his future Fiat Yamaha teammate
Valentino Rossi.
Dominant in 2007, Lorenzo scored his ninth
win of the season at the Australian Grand
Prix in Phillip Island last Sunday, but
was quick to declare that the championship
title has not been won yet despite his
huge advantage over Dovizioso.
"We expected that sort of statement. For
them, nothing is won until the world title
is officially sealed and no other riders
have any mathematical chance of beating
them," says SIC Senior General Manager
Datuk Azmi Murad.
"Anyway, I think it's good for Sepang if
he can really win it in
Malaysia and celebrate his second world
title with the fans here. In any
case, I expect a very good and close race
in Sepang in all the three
classes especially the MotoGP class,"
added Azmi, who is the event
director for the 2007 Polini Malaysian
Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Azmi reminded fans not to miss the event
and that they should take
opportunity from Malaysia's hosting of the
event to see the world class
riders in action and inspire their
children and charges to become
professional racers in the future.
"The Malaysian GP has been in Malaysia
since 1991 and it is frustrating
and sad that we are unable to see
Malaysian riders competing at the
event. Hopefully, the Malaysian motor
racing fraternity can urgently
work together and have Malaysians
competing here in Sepang in the near
future," he said.
While there would be no Malaysian at the
GP starting grid, fans from
Thailand can cheer for the local hero
Ratthapark Wilairot as the 19-year
old rider from Chonburi compete against
Lorenzo, Dovizioso and the other
250cc riders in Sepang. Representing Team
Thai Honda PTT-SAG, Walairot
is currently 16th in the 250cc world
championship standing with 29 points.
Indonesian Doni Prata Pradita, who
competes in the Asian Grand Prix
Series, has earned a wildcard entry from
the International Motorcycling
Federation (FIM) for the Malaysian round
and would be competing along
with Walairot in the 250cc class.
"Their entries obviously have generated a
lot of interest among the fans
in Thailand and Indonesia and I expect a
large turnout of fans from the
two countries at the race in Sepang this
weekend," Azmi said, adding
that the circuit is expecting an
attendance of 50,000 fans for the event.
Tickets are priced as low as RM10 and they
can be purchased at the
circuit or by calling TICKET HOTLINE at
603-87782222 or via internet at
www.malaysiangp.com.my.
Current Point Standings - 250cc World
Championship
1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Aprilia 287 points
2. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Honda 242
3. Alex de Angelis (SMR) Aprilia 215
4. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Aprilia 181
5. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aprilia 146
6. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) KTM 129
7. Mika Kallio (FIN) KTM 119
8. Thomas Luethi (SWI) Aprilia 115
9. Julian Simon (SPA) Honda 103
10. Shuhei Aoyama (JPN) Honda 87
Fans can also purchase their tickets
on-line at
www.malaysiangp.com.my.
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