Motegi; Biaggi Wins
Added on Sunday, October 5th, 2003 by Carole Nash Editor
Motegi; Biaggi Wins
The Pacific GP was one of the most exciting of the season, as crashes, fairing banging overtaking moves and another odd error from champion-in-waiting Rossi, all livened up the proceedings.
Biaggi ran away on his Pramac Honda V5 and never looked like being caught, giving a smooth and accomplished performance that must stand him in good stead with Honda for next season’s contract negotiations.
Meanwhile Rossi had dodged the opening lap mayhem and worked his way up to second place, then outbraked himself and went off-road into the gravel on lap six. The Doctor escaped crashing - just - then had to work his butt off to get back on terms with the group battling for 2nd and 3rd places on the podium.
His progress was made slightly easier by the absence of Ducati rider Troy Bayliss and Carlos Checa, both of whom had been spectacularly T-boned off the track by John Hopkins. Hopkins later received a ban for one race, as a result of his `dangerous’ riding. Hopkins also delayed Colin Edwards in his domino style braking move, but Edwards got back on track, eventually finishing 17th on his Aprilia.
As Rossi carved his way through the pack in the second half of the race, Gibernau, Tamada and Nicky Hayden all slugged it out for the podium places whilst Biaggi held a comfortable lead at the front. Hayden was riding with a renewed confidence and - it has to be said - displaying the sort of slick, tyre-sliding style of a future champion.
But Tamada was on a mission, this being his home GP and everything, so it was no surprise to see the Japanese rider and Gibernau clash together on the last lap, after Rossi had barged his way past into second place. Gibernau ended up in the gravel, Tamada punched the air as he took third place, Hayden in fourth. But stewards later judged Tamada’s move up the inside was dangerous - a brave decision at Motegi - and disqualified Tamada from the results. Crikey.
That bumped Hayden to third, Gibernau fourth ( he remounted to cross the line ) Melandri 5th, and Barros 6th. Britain’s Jeremy McWilliams crashed on lap 22, whilst Chris Burns retired on lap 23.
The result moves Rossi closer to another world title, which he should claim with decent finish at Malaysia, but Biaggi will be equally keen to show he can be consistent, whilst others will use a late season round to effectively add a podium place to their CV, or fall off trying - there are sure to be more fireworks this season.
