The Australian motorcyclist Casey Stoner, on a Ducati, has won the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, his second successive MotoGP win.
MotoGP world championship leader Jorge Lorenzo finished fourth to stretch his lead to 69 points.
The fast-starting Stoner continued his recent hot form at the Twin Ring circuit but the real drama unfolded behind him as Lorenzo locked horns with Yamaha team mate Valentino Rossi.
Lorenzo and Rossi clashed repeatedly and their bikes scraped against each other with two laps left in a hair-raising finale.
Lorenzo is virtually assured his first premier class world title after countryman Dani Pedrosa fractured his collarbone in Friday's practice.
Lorenzo can clinch the championship by scoring just seven points next weekend in Malaysia.
Stoner, who also won at Aragon last month, is third in the standings on 180 points with four races remaining.
