Bautista plays spoiler in Japan

From motogp.com

Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista is one of the more popular riders in the 250cc category, but did little to endear himself to Japanese fans with victory at Twin Ring Motegi on Sunday.

The likeable Mapfre Aspar rider rode a masterful race to deny Hiroshi Aoyama home glory at round two of the 2009 World Championship, taking his first win of the year.

Bautista started from the front row, but had to fight for the front over the course of the race. Following duels with teammate Mike di Meglio – who later crashed out just before the bridge section of the track - and Gabor Talmacsi, Bautista heaped the pressure on Scot Racing rider Aoyama for 10 tough laps before passing the two-time Motegi race winner with six laps to go and creating a gap between the two.

Aoyama took second place for his first podium of the year, and now closely trails new series leader Bautista by one point in the overall standings.

Team Toth’s Mattia Pasini completed the podium, bouncing back from a heavy Friday crash and claiming his first points of the year.

Reigning World Champion and 2008 racewinner Marco Simoncelli had poorer fortune in the race. The poleman was leading comfortably before bobbling on the chicane and puncturing his front tire. He came into the pits for a change of rubber, but could only claim 17th as his rivals fought out the rest of the race at the front of the field.

After leading a 250cc race for the first time in his career, Talmacsi came home fourth, ahead of Alex Debón. The two had fought tooth-and-nail for the position, with Debón even running off-track in his attempts to pass the Hungarian.