Asian adventure continues for MotoGP at Marlboro Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix After the drama of the twelfth round of the season at Motegi two days ago the MotoGP World Championship continues its Asian adventure with the second of three consecutive races on the continent this weekend. Valentino Rossi gets his second bite of the cherry as he aims to win the title for the fifth successive season, his first chance disappearing in a cloud of dust after his only race crash of the season so far in Japan. Marco Melandri, who also went down in the collision and is highly doubtful to take part this weekend’s event as he concentrates on recovering from a deep wound to his foot, saw his slim mathematical chances of winning the title also slip away in the incident, with Max Biaggi now the only man with an outside chance of stopping Rossi. Biaggi must score thirteen points more than his compatriot to maintain those hopes this weekend although the odds are steep, with Rossi already a double-winner at this circuit, including victory on the Yamaha last year. Biaggi’s chances of taking the runner-up spot for the fourth time in his premier-class career were boosted by his second successive podium at Motegi, with Colin Edwards now his closest rival but lying sixteen points adrift in third place. Whilst Biaggi is also a former winner at Sepang, having taken victory for Yamaha in the 2002 race, Edwards could only manage eleventh place for Honda here last season and has not visited the podium since he took second place in his home race at Laguna Seca. Troy Bayliss will miss his second successive race due to a wrist injury, sustained in a motocross training accident in Australia, and will be replaced by Shane Byrne. The former British Superbike Champion has not ridden since his home round at Donington Park after a split between Proton Team KR and engine suppliers KTM but he will have a major chance to impress over the next two weekends, having also been pencilled in to replace Bayliss at the following event in Qatar. Alex Hofmann will also miss out at Sepang after breaking a bone in his foot when he collided with Roby Rolfo at Motegi. Rolfo escaped unhurt but Hofmann is definitely out of the next two rounds as he heads back to receive treatment in Europe. Hofmann’s place at Kawasaki will be taken by Olivier Jacque, who also stepped in for the German earlier in the season and clinched the team’s only podium of the year in China. Loris Capirossi arrives in Malaysia on top form after taking Ducati’s first victory since their debut success at Catalunya over two years ago. The Italian signed a new deal with the factory over the summer and is targeting his third successive podium finish at Sepang as he aims to break into the top five in the World Championship standings. Dani Pedrosa will join the long queue of patients at the Clinica Mobile once the MotoGP freight is unpacked at Sepang on Wednesday, with the Spaniard still nursing the shoulder injury he sustained in a practice crash at Motegi. Pedrosa leads the 250cc World Championship by 63 points from Casey Stoner but cannot win the title at this circuit and will be wary of the threat of the young Australian. After coming away from the home of Honda with a podium finish, Stoner will look to build on his 125cc victory at this circuit last season as he battles to keep his title challenge alive at least until his home round in three weeks’ time. Jorge Lorenzo will not be taking part this weekend after being suspended for his part in a collision with Alex de Angelis on the final lap in Japan. Thomas Lüthi will also be on the treatment table as he tries to recover from the dislocated shoulder he sustained in a spectacular 125cc crash on Sunday. The Swiss youngster was lucky to escape from the race without a more serious injury, not to mention the 20 points he claimed for second place as the race was red-flagged due to his own crash. Lüthi faces a late test to determine whether he will be fit enough to defend a three-point lead in the championship over Mika Kallio.