Sunday, 10 October 2010

2010 Shell Advance MotoGP at Sepang

The 2010 MotoGP title could be decided this weekend with Jorge Lorenzo primed to take his third World Championship crown – his first in the premier class. The Fiat Yamaha rider goes into Round 15 at Sepang with a 69-point advantage over Dani Pedrosa - the only man who can stop him from being proclaimed Champion - but Pedrosa's fractured a collarbone injured in a crash last week means Lorenzo only needs to finish ninth or better on Sunday to lift the title now. We head to Sepang this weekend to find out more about round 15 of the MotoGP Championship.



ITINERARY:

Day 1: Singapore - Sepang
Day 2: Sepang - Singapore



DAY 1 (09 October 2010, Saturday)

Setting off at 0730hrs in the morning, I took the Nissan Latio into to Malaysia for the first time. Fuel consumption looks pretty decent at 12km/ltr based on an average speed of 140km/h on the North South Highway.

By around 1000hrs, I arrived at Seremban for breakfast, before going straight to Sepang International Circuit. As usual, the autograph session begins at 1200hrs with the MotoGP riders appearing randomly to meet the fans for autographs.

Valentino Rossi


Jorge Lorenzo


Colin Edwards


Andrea Dovizioso


Marco Simoncelli


Hector Barbera


Alvaro Bautista


Aleix Espargaro


Nicky Hayden


Mika Kallio


Casey Stoner


Some race queens at the booths










The favourite spectator spot at Turn 15


125cc qualifying session with Randy Krummennacher


Danny Webb


Sandro Cortese


Alvaro Bautista prepares for qualifying


Jorge Lorenzo ready to start


MotoGP qualifying session with Nicky Hayden


Valentino Rossi


Andrea Dovizioso


Hiroshi Aoyama


Hector Barbera


Jorge Lorenzo


Loris Capirossi


Randy de Puniet


Alvario Bautista


Ben Spies


Colin Edwards


Valentino Rossi


Marco Simoncelli


Aleix Espargaro


Mika Kallio


Casey Stoner


Marco Melandri


Nicky Hayden


Loris Capirossi


Randy de Puniet


Mika Kallio wheelies at the end of the session


Japanese supporters


Moto2 Qualifying session with Julian Simon


Andrea Iannone


Dominique Aegerter


Ratthapark Wilairot


Mike De Meglio


Yuki Takahashi


At the end of the session at around 1700hrs, I went over to Nilai town to get a hotel room. Nilai town is not too far from Sepang, and there are quite a number of hotel choices. Newly opened Sai Villa offered a clean and decent room for RM100.





Cheap and good dinner in Nilai









DAY 2 (10 October 2010, Sunday)

It's race day, the day everyone is looking forward to. Again, let's begin with some race queens...







Randy De Puniet's autograph session


At the 125cc race, with Danny Webb


Malaysia's very own - Zulfahmi Khairuddin


Pol Espargaro


Sandro Cortese and Nicolas Terol


Shooting at Turn 9


Randy Krummenacher


Zulfahmi Khairuddin


On the 125cc podium with Marc Marquez, Pol Espargaro, and Nicolas Terol



Before the start of the Moto2 race






Thomas Luthi


Toni Elias



Gabor Talmacsi


Andrea Iannone


Ratthapark Wilairot




And the Moto2 race begins.....

Toni Elias


Thomas Luthi


Kenny Noyes


Andrea Iannone


Alex De Angelis


Stafan Bradl


Julian Simon


Malaysia's Mohamad Zamri Baba




Despite finishing 4th in today's race, Toni Elias is crowed the new Moto2 World Champion.




On the Moto2 podium with Roberto Rolfo, Alex De Andelis, and Andrea Inannone




Newly crowned Moto2 World Champion - Toni Elias



Grid girls and race queens for the MotoGP race












MotoGP commentator Gavin Emmet


Alvario Bautista



Andrea Dovizioso




Valentino Rossi




Valentino Rossi and chief mechanic Jeremy Burgess



Colin Edwards


Casey Stoner


Loris Carpirossi


Hiroshi Aoyama



Marco Simoncelli


Marco Melandri


Randy De Puniet


Mika Kallio


Valentino Rossi getting ready



Jorge Lorenzo


Hiroshi Aoyama & Hector Barbera


Andrea Dovizioso


Mika Kallio


Team mates battling out


Marco Simoncelli


Ben Spies


Hector Barbera


Randy De Puniet


Marco Melandri


Valentino Rossi


Nicky Hayden


Battle of the old rivals


Hiroshi Aoyama waves to the crowd at the end of the race


Valentino Rossi may have won the race, but it was teammate Jorge Lorenzo who wins his first MotoGP World Title at Sepang. Rossi's 10th World Title came to a halt this year mainly due to injury at Mugello earlier this year. Let's hope Rossi can bounce back next year with his new Ducati factory team.

Departing from Sepang, I dropped by at Yew Meng in Kulai for a sumptious dinner/supper.










MORE PHOTOS

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FAST FACTS

Petrol: S$27
Toll: S$23
Carpark: S$2
Accomodation: S$21
MotoGP Entrance tickets: $43
Food & beverages & miscellaneous: S$44
TOTAL EXPENDITURE: S$160



EXCHANGE RATE
S$1.00 = Rm2.35



TRAVEL GUIDES / NEWS / MAGAZINES

Sepang International Circuit
http://www.malaysiangp.com.my/

Sai Villa Nilai
http://www.saivillahotel.com/


MAPS
http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Sepang_International_Circuit