Rossi wins the German GP

The ninth race of this year's MotoGP World Championship was held at the Sachsenring Circuit in Germany where the rain god played spoilsport for the first two sessions out of the four track outings before the final race but fortunately the skies opened up on Sunday and the race took place in perfectly dry conditions. Eight-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi crossed the finish-line just 0.099 seconds ahead of his Spanish team-mate Jorge Lorenzo to take home the victory. With this achievement the 30 year old Italian has equaled his compatriot Giacomo Agostini's record of 159 podium finishes.

Saturday's qualifying result saw Rossi on pole followed by Lorenzo in second place on the grid and Casey Stoner along with Nicky Hayden in third and fourth place on the grid, respectively. As the lights turned off, Rossi held onto the lead going in turn one. Australian Casey Stoner seemed to have god form and he soon passed Pedrosa on lap five for second place and then started to size up race-leader Valentino Rossi. Within next two laps he was close on the heels of Rossi and passed the number '46' bike under braking on lap 7. While the pack maintained their positions for midway through the race, on lap 17 Rossi once again made his trademark overtake on Stoner to regain lead. Despite injures sustained at the Laguna Seca qualifying crash, Lorenzo rode superbly well and was quick to pass Stoner for second place and get behind Rossi.

Once Stoner was relegated to third place, Rossi and Lorenzo astride the Yamaha M1s upped the pace and increased their lead on the remaining pack. However, Rossi was unable to shake off the young Spaniard and with just five laps to go, Lorenzo passed Rossi going into turn one. Rossi kept his pace and kept pressurising Lorenzo only to salvage the lead in the race on the penultimate lap by outbraking Lorenzo, once again on turn one. What looked like a repeat of Catalunya GP, Lorenzo was all set to pass Rossi going into the last lap, but the Italian carried a defensive line right from the start of the last lap and managed to keep Jorge behind him as they both crossed the chequered flag with just 0.099sec separating the two Yamaha riders. This was 101st win of Rossi?s illustrious career and his 159th podium finish.

Stoner looked set to take the final spot on the podium but ran wide with just five laps to go and this handed Pedrosa the third place on the podium. Suffering with apparent tyre problems, Stoner could not challenge the Pedrosa again and the Australian had to settle for fourth place. Andrea Dovizioso, another promising young rider also suffered major tyre problems forcing him to retire from the race with a DNF (Did Not Finish). San Carlo Honda Gresini rider, Alex de Angelis got his best ever finish in this season with a fifth but was almost eleven seconds off the pace of Casey Stoner. His team-mate Toni Elias finished in sixth, giving the team a good result. Seventh spot went to Italian rider Marco Melandri of Team Hayate Racing.

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Nicky Hayden astride the Ducati, started fourth on the grid but ran wide on turn one and lost all his chances of getting his best result in the 2009 season, yet. Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards struggled in ninth spot while his team-mate and ex-WSB champion James Toseland completed the top ten.

The MotoGP grid has been reduced to 17 permanent riders following the departure of the Grupo Francisco Hernando team, which had been running Sete Gibernau. In the world championship, Rossi (176) is now 14 points ahead of Lorenzo (162) and 28 points ahead of his arch rival Casey Stoner (148).

Sachsenring Race Result:

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 41min 21.769 sec
   2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 41min 21.868 sec
   3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 41min 24.668 sec
   4. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 41min 31.995 sec
   5. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 41min 43.291 sec
   6. Toni Elias SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 41min 52.621 sec
   7. Marco Melandri ITA Hayate Racing Team 41min 53.070 sec
   8. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 41min 53.495 sec
   9. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 41min 54.634 sec
   10. James Toseland GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 42min 5.695 sec
   11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 42min 19.144 sec
   12. Niccolo Canepa ITA Pramac Racing 42min 22.308 sec
   13. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 42min 25.414 sec
   14. Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing 42min 25.924 sec
   15. Gabor Talmacsi HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 41min 22.338 sec

2009 MOTOGP RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP