MotoGP

Nobody was able to cope with the World Champion at Phillip Island; no other rider was near his level in spite of his 10 second penalty after overtaking on a yellow flag. Rossi saw the balckboard after 14 laps when Marco Melandri was three and a half seconds behind him. From thgen on Rossi used all his talent and power which in other races he has not needed, to carry off the triumph. On the finishing line he was 5 seconds ahead, as he was 15 faster than Loris Capirossi and Nicky Hayden, who got his second podium of the season after the one at Motegi. Sete lost the battle with the American, but his fourth place meant that the Runner�s up spot is his, which is not to be sniffed at.

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250cc

El�as was the other side of the story. He said farewell to the title, with a whimper. Without any chance of getting on the podium, but his team mate, Fonsi Nieto, was on it for the second consecutive race. Elias was a victim of impotence as he finished in eleventh position after avoiding a couple of falls. The rain left him out off the race in the warm up, where he did not even reach his qualifying times.

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"I just don�t understand, I am a fast rider in the wet, last year I won races, but the truth is that this season with this bike, it is impossible to ride in the wet, both the front and back wheels go. It is a pity, I knew that it was going to be difficult after the fall in R�o de Janeiro, but I can console myself with having fought to the very end, and in Valencia I want to win", a crestfallen El�as explained affter the race.

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125cc

The rain also affected the result of the 125cc race; the Italian Andrea Ballerini won and beside him were Masao Azuma and Steve Jenkner. The Champion of Spain �lvaro Bautista, 17 years old, was a worthy fourth, his best ever result in the WSC. On the first lap he crossed the line in twenty-second position. His Bridgestone tyres played an important role but more important were his guts.

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