12,15 local time saw the final 250cc race not only of the 2009 season, but ever in the World Championship. The title was at stake, but also the bragging rights of ending the series’ run and putting oneself in the history books as the final winner. Héctor Barberá took a popular home win, although the fight was amongst the frontrunners with everything to play for. The title went to Hiroshi Aoyama despite not placing on the podium courtesy of a crash for Marco Simoncelli. Barberá and Álvaro Bautista made it a Spanish one-two, adding to Julián Simón’s win in 125cc and Dani Pedrosa’s in MotoGP.
Mapfre rider Álvaro Bautista was keen to not let down the fans gathered at his final home race in the support classes, especially with it being the last ride for 250cc racing machinery. The Spaniard was ninth on the grid after a tough qualifying session, but was confident in having a good race. He moved his way up the field progressively, taking third place n the fifth lap, before looking out for victory. Problems with the rear end f his Aprilia made things complicated, but Bautista was able to combat adversity sufficiently to claim second place as he crossed the 250cc finish line for the final time. Second in Jerez and the winner in Barcelona, Bautista completed a trilogy of home podium finishes with this latest result. He leaves the class behind with the satisfaction of having contested a memorable season.
Teammate Mike di Meglio started from even further back in fifteenth, but also had faith in a comeback. Tailing Bautista he moved up to the lead group, but with eight laps to go a fall caused by the heavy sidewind caused him to hit the ground, and when he had picked up his Aprilia to remount he could only muster fourteenth place on the conclusion of his only 250cc season.
2nd Álvaro Bautista:
“I would have liked to have finished the year with a win but, bearing in mind the conditions that we were facing today, second is not a bad result. The wind was taking me off-track constantly, making it difficult to stick to my braking points. Yesterday we had some problems in the practice sessions, and this morning we went back to a setting that I preferred. In the warm up we were faster than we were on Saturday, so I knew that I could be up at the front. The only doubt that I had was whether the rear tyre would last the whole race. It may have gone off slightly ahead of time, and it was difficult to keep up with the guys ahead of me until the halfway point of the race. When I opened the throttle the bike started to slide. Second is nothing to be ashamed of, but obviously I would have been happier with a victory. I have spent a wonderful part of my life in the Aspar team, in which almost every moment has been good for me.”
14th Mike Di Meglio:
“We have had a couple of races in which we can definitely say that Lady Luck wasn’t on our side. It was a shame that I crashed today, because I was riding comfortably, but with this wind anything can happen. Despite starting fifteenth I made a great start, and went gradually passing riders. I felt more confident in the rear end with the passing of every lap, and was having fun with enough pace to easily ride amongst those up front. When I got to the lead group I planned to keep my pace the same, in order to give myself the best chance of finishing. I thought that the podium was an option, but just as I was feeling at ease the bike seized up and I fell. It is a real shame, because it is not nice to finish a year this way. I hope to have more luck in 2010.”
