2009 Misano 250cc Race Result - Duel Decided In Last Lap Thriller

Result and summary of the 250cc race at Misano:

The 250cc race at Misano proved to be a decisive one for the championship, with one candidate ruling himself out of contention. At the start of the race, Hector Barbera got away early, soon being joined by Marco Simoncelli and Mattia Pasini, two local boys keen to make an impression. The front three seemed happy to run together for the first half of the race, only passing each other when the pace seemed to be dropping.

Behind Pasini, Barbera and Simoncelli, Hiroshi Aoyama, who had a couple of big moments in the early laps, was engaged in holding of Alvaro Bautista, who had quickly made up for a relatively poor start. So busy were the two title candidates with each other that they didn't notice Bautista's team mate Mike di Meglio catching them until the Frenchman was right on their tail.

At the front, the three-way fight became a two-way dogfight, after Marco Simoncelli lost the rear at the exit to the corner leading onto the back straight, a strange crash caused by a traction control malfunction. Simoncelli's crash was a double disappointment, the Italian ruling himself both out of the race and out of the championship, the gap to the championship leader now 40 points. But his disappearance left the Barbera and Pasini to fight it out, and after the thrilling and dangerous scrap the pair had here last year, where Barbera touched Pasini and dumped him off at Curvone, the fastest corner on the track, fireworks were expected. 

The fans would not be disappointed. The two men swapped places throughout the final laps, Barbera passing again at Curvone on multiple occasions, though this time without taking out Pasini, and Pasini fought back all around the track. In the end, it was Hector Barbera who came out on top, passing Pasini into Quercia and not allowing the Italian back, taking his second victory of the season, and demote Pasini to 2nd place.

The scrap for 3rd proved just as intense, and even more significant. Aoyama and Bautista pummeled each other all race long, passing several times all around the track. Aoyama looked to have the advantage, passing Bautista in the final corner several times and always holding his advantage across the line, but Bautista would not lie down and accept his fate. The situation was complicated by the appearance of Mike di Meglio, who was content to sit behind the pair at first, but who passed both men on the final couple of laps. On the last lap, Di Meglio dropped behind Bautista after orders from his pit board, but Aoyama sneaked ahead of the Frenchman as well. Aoyama looked like getting ahead of Bautista as well, but came up short in the final section, giving up 3 precious points in the championship. There are now only two men in the title chase, but the gap between Aoyama and Bautista has narrowed to 13 points with 4 races to go.

Honorable mention goes to Jules Cluzel of the Matteoni Racing team, scoring another outstanding result with a 6th place finish at Misano, on a lowly privateer Aprilia LE.

Result: