Eighth place in qualification and warm-up was followed up by a good start to the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix for Randy de Puniet, before a high-side crash on lap two ended his race prematurely.

The LCR Honda rider was up to fifth place by the end of the first lap, but the wet conditions at Sepang – which delayed the start of the race by 35 minutes – proved to be De Puniet’s undoing, as he lost the back of his bike when exiting a right-hand turn.

The 28 year-old emerged unscathed from the spill, and will return to action at Valencia for the final round of the 2009 MotoGP season on November 8th.

“I am very disappointed for me and the team,” said De Puniet as he reflected on his misfortune. “We had found a good race set-up yesterday and I qualified eighth in the morning warm-up session. Then the rain storm changed the conditions completely but I was pretty confident as I usually lap with a good pace in the wet. I took a good start finishing the first lap in 5th position.”

“Then in the second lap I lost the rear on turn 3 suffering a big high-side. I really do not remember what happened but after having watched the accident on the TV, I feel lucky because I am okay!”