Repsol Honda's Casey Stoner cruised to the win and his second MotoGP world title at Phillip Island today after Jorge Lorenzo crashed in morning warm-up, handing the Australian his second championship on his birthday.
Lorenzo took the top off his ring finger the accident and was flown to Melbourne Hospital for treatment. The incident meant Stoner took over the number one plate for next year and becomes only the sixth man to win the premier class title with two different manufacturers.
It was an easy win for the Australian, disappearing away at the head of the field at the rate of alomst a second a lap and then managing it as a fast-starting Nicky Hayden fell victim to the three other factory Hondas who battled it out for the podium places.
San Carlo Honda's Marco Simoncelli eventually took second ahead of Andrea Dovizioso after the pair banged fairings for most of the race. The big-haired Italian eventually got the better of his compatriot and life-long rival on the final lap, crossing the line with a quarter of a second to spare.
Dani Pedrosa made his way through to fourth from eighth on the grid and battled with his Repsol Hoda team-mate at half distance but knocked the pace off when rain began to fall at the end of the race. Colin Edwards was handed fifth when Hayden came in to swap bikes with only three laps to go and Randy De Puniet also took advantage of the slightly odd decision.
Hayden eventually finished in seventh place and was the last rider on the lead lap. Team-mate Valentino Rossi failed to finish for the second race in a row when he lost the rear on the downhill run into MG corner, trying to pass the Rizla Suzuki of Alvaro Bautista who himself fell victim to the rain.
Cal Crutchlow and Hiro Aoyama both crashed at the same corner on the same lap but the incidents were entirely separate while Ben Spies did not start after his crash yesterday left him struggling to concentrate.
