Grand Prix 2000 - Round 16 - Australian

Nakano led them away from Katoh and Jacque, the 3 men fighting for the championship. Jacque through on Katoh and out after his team-mate Nakano. If Jacque or Nakano win this race they win the championship, simple as that and as a result the battle will be well and truly on. West up from 15th to 7th.

Jacque is trying to find a way past Nakano and looks faster than the Japanese rider but Katoh is also in the thick of the action. The top wildcard at the moment is Shaun Geronomi in 20th.

The top 4 are pretty close together with Nakano still leading from Jacque who has Katoh and Melandri right behind him.

Melandri took Katoh for 3rd on lap 5. Jacque looks relatively happy to just sit right on the tail of Nakano. Katoh back through on Melandri on lap 6.

At half race distance Nakano and Jacque are still joined at the hip with Nakano retaining the lead. A further 4 seconds behind is Katoh with a Melandri challenging him for that 3rd place.

Lap after lap Jacque just sat in Nakano's wheel tracks, not trying to make a move at all but just content to sit and watch.

Last lap and Jacque still tucked right in behind Nakano, will the Frenchman wait until the last corner and try and it in the run to the line?

Jacque had a go at Honda corner but Nakano held him out, into MG Nakano still holds the upper hand, around the back now, onto the straight, Jacque gets a tow and gets it on the line. Olivier Jacque is the 250 World Champion for 2000. Now the two Yamaha boys and their Chesterfield team head to 500 for 2001.

Jacque won the title by one hundredth of a second!