Valentino Rossi was overjoyed to win his seventh MotoGP world title with a third place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Rossi’s result, which came in a wet race, means that his championship lead stands at a now unassailable 41 points over his Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, with only 25 available from the Valencia season finale.

Sebastien Loeb has won the World Rally Championship for a record-extending sixth time after claiming Rally GB victory. The Citroen driver had arrived at the season finale one point behind Mikko Hirvonen and facing his toughest title battle in many years, but led the rally throughout. Hirvonen (Ford) admitted he had been too cautious on Friday’s opening loop, and mounted a fightback and cut Loeb’s lead from 9s to 2.4s by SS7. But then Loeb all but secured the championship with an incredible performance on the next two stages, where he extended his lead to a comfortable 25s. Hirvonen started closing in again this morning until his bonnet came loose and obscured his view on the penultimate stage, forcing him to stop and remove it, and leaving Loeb free to cruise to victory and the world championship.

By AutoSport and AustoSport

Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi took his ninth win of the season with a comfortable victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

The Italian moved into second place on lap two following an unsuccessful attempt on lap one, and quickly moved onto the tail of leader Dani Pedrosa. Rossi then sat on Pedrosa’s tail before taking the lead on lap 11 with a late-braking move around the back of the circuit, easing away to victory ahead of the Spaniard.

The battle behind them for third position was close throughout the race, Andrea Dovizioso in third ahead of Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner and Shinya Nakano on lap two.

As the laps wound down Stoner struggled to keep up, Nakano eventually taking fifth from him on lap 16, quickly catching the duo ahead.

At the start of lap 18, Hayden took third from Dovizioso at turn one, only for Dovizioso to take it straight back on the exit, Hayden then taking the place back again at turn two.

But Dovizioso took the place back again just a couple of corners later, and although Hayden stayed right on his tail, the American couldn’t make a pass, the young Italian taking his first MotoGP podium finish.

Hayden finished just behind Dovizioso in fourth, Nakano in fifth and Stoner in sixth. Loris Capirossi and Colin Edwards put in good performances to be within a few seconds of Stoner at the finish in seventh and eight positions.

Jorge Lorenzo, who caught the group battling for third and was in with a chance of a podium finish, fell at turn one on lap twelve. He remounted but pulled into the pits to retire at the end of the lap.

By AutoSport