Marco Simoncelli extended his lead in the world 250cc championship Sunday with a win in the Australian MotoGP.

The Italian, riding a Gilera, finished ahead of Spain's Alvaro Bautista aboard an Aprilia.

He now takes a 37-point lead over Bautista into the Malaysian Grand Prix. The season-closer is in Valencia, Spain.

Finland's Mika Kallio was third.

The mop-topped Simoncelli was the 2002 European 125cc champion. He was fifth in the 125 class in 2005 before graduating to 250cc bikes.