Kallio extends World Championship lead with Chinese victory

Mika Kallio continued his fantastic run of podium finishes with victory in the 250cc Pramac Grand Prix of China, extending his lead in the World Championship.

The Finn headed a Red Bull KTM one-two from teammate Hiroshi Aoyama as he took the Austrian factory´s first win at the Shanghai International Circuit, the duo starting from the front and third rows respectively on the grid.

As in the 125cc race, the poleman took an early bow to leave the field wide open. Portugal race winner Alvaro Bautista had a high speed lowside on the eighth lap, whilst fellow front row starter Julian Simon was forced into retirement after losing control of his Repsol KTM machine on lap five.

In third place, Mattia Pasini braved a temperamental wet tyre when the track dried, bouncing back from the disappointment of two crashes in Estoril. The Polaris World rider came out on top in a battle between himself and Marco Simoncelli, and benefitted from a last lap pair of run-offs from Yuki Takahashi when the Japanese rider seemed assured of a rostrum finish. Coupled with the surprise podium taken on the last lap in Jerez, the unluckiest rider of 2007 appears to have shaken off his demons upon arrival in the 250cc category.

Behind Pasini and Simoncelli, another battle raged on between persistent rivals Lotus Aprilia´s Alex Debon and Team Toth´s Hector Barbera. Despite crashing in the incident with Simon, Debon was able to get back up and edge out his fellow Spaniard.

The heartbroken Takahashi finished seventh onboard the JiR Team Scot Honda, whilst there were great results for Ratthapark Wilairot, Aleix Espargaro and Hector Faubel. Poleman Bautista eventually came in twelve for a valuable addition to his points total.