2008 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix motorcycle race report
Grand Prix = Australian


Location = Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Course_mi = 2.762
Course_km = 4.445
Race_No = 16
Season_No = 18
Date = October 5
Year = 2008

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Pole_Rider_MotoGP = Casey Stoner
Pole_Rider_MotoGP_Country = Australia
Pole_Time_MotoGP = 1:28.665
Fast_Rider_MotoGP = Nicky Hayden
Fast_Rider_MotoGP_Country = USA
Fast_Time_MotoGP = 1:30.059
First_Rider_MotoGP = Casey Stoner
First_Rider_MotoGP_Country = Australia
Second_Rider_MotoGP = Valentino Rossi
Second_Rider_MotoGP_Country = Italy
Third_Rider_MotoGP = Nicky Hayden
Third_Rider_MotoGP_Country = USA
Pole_Rider_250 = Marco Simoncelli
Pole_Rider_250_Country = Italy
Pole_Time_250 = 1:32.075
Fast_Rider_250 = Alvaro Bautista
Fast_Rider_250_Country = Spain
Fast_Time_250 = 1:32.710
First_Rider_250 = Marco Simoncelli
First_Rider_250_Country = Italy
Second_Rider_250 = Alvaro Bautista
Second_Rider_250_Country = Spain
Third_Rider_250 = Mika Kallio
Third_Rider_250_Country = Finland
Pole_Rider_125 = Mike Di Meglio
Pole_Rider_125_Country = France
Pole_Time_125 = 1:37.553
Fast_Rider_125 = Stefan Bradl
Fast_Rider_125_Country = Germany
Fast_Time_125 = 1:37.908
First_Rider_125 = Mike Di Meglio
First_Rider_125_Country = France
Second_Rider_125 = Stefan Bradl
Second_Rider_125_Country = Germany
Third_Rider_125 = Gábor Talmácsi
Third_Rider_125_Country = Hungary|

The 2008 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix was the sixteenth round of the 2008 MotoGP Championship. It took place on the weekend of 3-October 5, 2008 at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Race report

The premier class MotoGP race was won by Casey Stoner from pole position. Stoner rode a lights to flag victory ahead of a fast and charging Valentino Rossi who started the race from 12th position on the grid. Nicky Hayden rounded out the podium finishing in a respectable third place.

In the early stages of the race, Stoner and Hayden had a battle that lasted many laps with the two pulling away from the chasing pack, trading fast laps between them. Casey Stoner gradually began to pull away as Hayden's tyres appeared to wear out slightly. Meanwhile Rossi was charging through the midfield, getting up to 8th position after only the first lap. Rossi quickly disposed of a number of riders in the first few laps, but lost vital time while attempting to overtake his teammate Jorge Lorenzo and former SBK champion James Toseland. Rossi was setting fast lap times but his entertaining battle with these two riders meant he was losing time, and all chances of catching Stoner and Hayden who were riding off into the distance were slowly fading.

After losing the front end going in MG Corner just after Lukey Heights, Rossi lost yet more time. After a few laps he managed to get into the tow behind Toseland and past him going into the long sweeping turn 1. Toseland had no reply and Rossi had his eyes firmly set on catching the leaders. Rossi caught Hayden with only 2 laps to go, but Stoner was simply too far already to be challenged for the win. By this stage of the race, Hayden's rear tyre was very worn as he had not conserved it in the early stages of the race. Rossi pulled a textbook move going into turn 1 on the last lap, Hayden lost ground from here and could not get close enough to attempt to retake second place.

MotoGP classification

Notes

*In the 125cc race Marc Marquez was given a 1 second penalty for elbowing Simone Corsi during an overtaking attempt.

References

*cite web | title = MotoGP official website | url = http://www.motogp.com/en/Results+Statistics/2008/AUS/ | accessdate = 2008-10-05 | rel="nofollow"

MotoGP_race_report
Name_of_race = Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 2008
Previous_race_in_season = 2008 Japanese Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 2007 Australian Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 2009 Australian Grand Prix