250cc title chase reaches match point in Malaysia

For the second year in succession, the 250cc World Championship could be decided at the Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Series leader and racewinner in Australia Marco Simoncelli is 37 points clear at the head of the leaderboard, with a further 50 in play at the final pair of races. In simple terms –other options are available- the Metis Gilera rider only needs to finish ahead of nearest rivals Alvaro Bautista and Mika Kallio in order to take his first World Championship title, with a podium place also sufficient.

Bautista failed to finish his only 250cc race to date in Malaysia last year, whilst Kallio was pipped to the podium by Jorge Lorenzo as the Spaniard clinched his second quarter-litre title. Simoncelli finished eighth in the race.

Alex Debon occupies fourth place in the classification, with his aspirations limited to the runner-up spot in the current campaign. Fifth place belongs to Team Toth Aprilia´s Hector Barbera, an absentee from both the Australian and Malaysian rounds with vertebrae fractures picked up in a crash at Motegi.

The top six is completed by JiR Team Scot´s Yuki Takahashi, entering his final two races in 250cc before a move up to the premier class in 2009. The top ten also features Mattia Pasini, Julian Simon, 2007 racewinner Hiroshi Aoyama and Thomas Luthi, expected to return to action after a skin graft to his finger.