Newly crowned six time
MotoGP world champion
Valentino Rossi returns to the country and city where he made his grand prix debut twelve long years ago when he competes in this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.
The 17-year-old long haired Italian made his debut in the 125cc race at the Shah Alan circuit in Kuala Lumpur. Twelve years and eight world titles later Rossi returns to Malaysia to ride in the penultimate round of the MotoGP World Championship at the 3.447 miles Sepang circuit near KL International Airport, which replaced Shah Alam and Johor as the Malaysian Grand Prix venue in 1999.
Rossi has a great record at Sepang, winning the premier-class race four times on both Honda and Yamaha machinery, but he will come head to head in the 21 lap race on Sunday with outgoing world champion
Casey Stoner - who has an even more impressive record at Sepang.
The 22 year old Australian is the only rider to have won 125, 250 and MotoGP races at Sepang and arrives brimming with confidence following his victory for Ducati Marlboro at the previous round in his native Australia.
Stoner looks a safe bet to finish second in the championship after Spaniard
Dani Pedrosa crashed in Australia but the Repsol Honda rider, who has won 125 and 250cc races at Sepang, will be keeping a wary eye on his great rival
Jorge Lorenzo in fourth place. The Fiat Yamaha rookie is in great form and trails Pedrosa by 27 points with just two rounds remaining. He won the 250cc race at Sepang two years ago.
The closest battle in the championship is for fifth place with 27 points separating
Andrea Dovizioso, the 2006 world champion
Nicky Hayden, Tech 3 Yamaha's
Colin Edwards and Suzuki's
Chris Vermeulen. Hayden is the man in form, with two podiums from the last three races, but Dovizioso has had a brilliant MotoGP debut season and will replace Hayden at Repsol Honda in 2009.
