MOTOR SPORT:Australian Casey Stoner clinched a sensational first MotoGP world title by finishing ahead of Italy's Valentino Rossi in the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday.
The 21-year-old finished sixth with Rossi's mathematical hopes of halting the Ducati rider's championship charge ended as his Yamaha limped home in 13th on a wet Motegi track.
Ducati also became the first non-Japanese team to win the premier-class title since MV Agusta won the 500cc championship in 1974.
"It's a little bit overwhelming because we didn't really expect to get it at this race," said Stoner, who began from ninth on the grid while Rossi was on the front row.
Stoner's Italian team mate Loris Capirossi won an incident-packed race in 47 minutes 5.484 seconds. France's Randy de Puniet finished second for Kawasaki in 47:16.337 with Spaniard Toni Elias third on a Honda in 47:17.100.
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