Rossi world champion.

Sun 28 Sep, 06:58 AM

Valentino Rossi clinches the 2008 MotoGP World Championship with victory in Yamaha's home race at Motegi in Japan.

Valentino Rossi has won the 2008 MotoGP World Championship in perfect style, by winning Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

Rossi dropped from fourth on the grid to fifth after the opening turns of the 24 lap race, but passed team-mate Jorge Lorenzo on lap two before hunting down race leaders - and title rivals - Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa.

When Stoner put a tight pass on Pedrosa on lap six, Rossi also demoted the Spaniard, and then shadowed Stoner before making a victory pass under-braking on lap 13.

Rossi gradually pulled away from the Ducati star, who clinched the 2007 title at Motegi last season, and enjoyed a one second advantage by lap 17. Rossi won his fifth race in a row - and eighth of the season - by 1.943secs at the chequered flag.

The Fiat Yamaha rider thus has an uncatchable 92 point championship lead over nearest rival Stoner with just three rounds and 75 points remaining. A perfect day for Yamaha was made complete by also wrapping up the 2008 manufacturers' and teams' championships at its home event.

Rossi celebrated his return to the top with a big wheelie over the line and was instantly congratulated by Stoner, before doing a burn out at the side of the track and being greeted by his waiting fan club.

Rossi was given a special t-shirt with the words "sorry for the delay" in Italian and a picture of a clock, then sat down at a waiting desk to sign some sort of contract!

Rossi won five consecutive 500cc/MotoGP World Championships from 2001 to 2005, and becomes only the second rider in history - after Giacomo Agostini - to regain the premier-class crown after two successive defeats. Agostini is now the only rider with more premier-class world titles than Rossi, having won eight.

Rossi is the first rider to win the premier-class title on four different types of motorcycle: A Honda 500cc four-cylinder two-stroke (2001), Honda 990cc five-cylinder stroke-stroke (2002, 2003), Yamaha 990cc four-cylinder four-stroke (2004, 2005) and a Yamaha 800cc four-cylinder four-stroke (2008).

The 2008 MotoGP World Championship is Rossi's eighth across all three grand prix classes, having also won the 125cc crown in 1997 and 250cc title in 1999.

Rossi and Stoner were joined on the Motegi podium by Pedrosa, who survived last lap contact with Lorenzo to hold on to third position.

Japanese Grand Prix:

1. Rossi

2. Stoner

3. Pedrosa

4. Lorenzo

5. Hayden

6. Capirossi

7. Edwards

8. Nakano

9. Dovizioso

10. Hopkins

11. Toseland

12. de Puniet

13. Melandri

14. Guintoli

15. West

16. Elias

17. de Angelis