Grand Prix 2000 - Round 16 - Australia

Checa crashed out at MG on lap 1 while leading but remounted to see if he can get back on the pace.

Capirossi led them across the line to commence lap 2 from Laconi and Abe but Laconi took the lead into Honda hairpin. Barros 4th, McCoy 5th.

Rossi under McCoy which forced Garry to stand it up and lose some places.

Start of lap 3 - Capirossi, Laconi, Barros, Abe, Rossi, Roberts, McCoy. Barros is the fastest man at the moment and took Capirossi for 2nd but Loris takes him back at the end of the main straight the next time around.

Capirossi into the lead but the race pace is slow. Slower lap-times than what the 250 race leaders did all race long. Rossi into 4th and set the fastest lap on the 3rd time around. McCoy passed Roberts for 7th but Biaggi is now 6th.

Abe through on Rossi for 4th. Barros under Laconi for 2nd. Jeremy McWilliams is back in 12th but set the fastest lap the 4th time around.

McCoy through on Biaggi for 6th. Barros into the lead, Laconi also under Capirossi for 2nd. Rossi back through on Abe for 4th. McCoy past Abe for 5th and closing in on Laconi who has just been relegated to 4th by Rossi.

Laconi under Rossi for 3rd. Capirossi takes the lead from Barros. Biaggi has closed onto the back of the pack and is starting to challenge Rossi who has been relegated to 5th by an improving Garry McCoy. 18 laps to run.

McCoy has a huge moment and somehow managed to save it and only lost one place to Rossi but quite a bit of ground. He was pretty upright when the rear stepped out quite quickly which bucked him into the air but luckily he landed back on the seat.

Barros back into the lead. Okada is picking up speed and has taken Biaggi for 6th. McCoy through on Rossi again for 4th, a fantastic recovery from that VERY scary moment.

Garry is still having problems with traction from the rear, it is not smoothly sliding like he favours but seems to be grip, grip, snap which is making it hard for the Red-Bull man. But he is determined and takes Capirossi for 3rd. Laconi in front, hold that Barros under Laconi and takes the lead back. McCoy in 3rd and trying ever so hard. Laconi through on Barros again. Biaggi right with the pack and on the tail of McCoy now in 4th after pushing Capirossi back to 5th. McCoy is trying hard but is having a battle with the rear end of the Yamaha.

McCoy from 2nd to 5th in one turn but they are all so close together. This has to be the closest 500 race in history. The top 7 guys are nearly running nose-to-tail. Barros, Biaggi, Capirossi, Rossi, McCoy, Abe, Okada, McWilliams. 13 laps to run and Biaggi hits the front. Then the Marlboro Yamaha man ran wide which allowed Capirossi back into the lead.

Laconi shoots to the front in MG and managed to hold it in a great move. 3 wide down the main straight and Biaggi gets the best draft and gets the lead. McCoy back through on Rossi for 5th. This is the closest racing seen all weekend including the 250 proddie support races!

Lap 16 and only 2 seconds covers the top 8 - Capirossi, Biaggi, Laconi, McCoy, Rossi, McWilliams, Abe, Okada.

10 laps to run and Capirossi maintains the lead and Laconi is challenging Biaggi for 2nd at every opportunity. Rossi relegates McCoy to 5th who is then also pushed back to 6th after McWilliams got through on the Australian.

Biaggi in the lead now, but Capirossi gets him right back. The top 4 are covered by less than half a second. Laconi touched the back of Capirossi which sent him off the circuit and lost him plenty of positions. Biaggi again in front of Capirossi who is being hunted by Rossi but McWilliams is in 4th and getting stronger and stronger as the laps go by. McCoy 5th, Barros 6th.

Capirossi in the lead again, this is unbelievably close for a 500 race.

7 laps to run and Biaggi hits the front again but the 4th placed McWilliams is continuing his charge and will be fighting with them before this race is over. Barros through on McCoy for 5th.

Italian domination at the moment with Capirossi, Biaggi and Rossi filling the first 3 positions. Then it is McWilliams, Barros, McCoy, Abe, Roberts and Okada in 9th. The top 9 are covered by 2 seconds!

Biaggi under Capirossi for the lead with 5 laps to run. But Capirossi does his underneath move at Southern Loop once again. Biaggi gets in front again but Capirossi does him at the end of the main straight again.

McCoy past McWilliams and up into 5th. Barros through on Rossi. Biaggi takes Capirossi, I need to learn how to type faster this is unreal.

Rossi up in to 3rd and Capirossi hits the front again. Rossi tries a silly move but Barros has none of it and closes the door on the young Italian. McCoy through on Rossi. Honda, Yamaha, Honda, Yamaha, Honda is the order of machinery with 2 laps to run.

Biaggi into the lead at the end of the main straight with 2 laps to run. Rossi through on McCoy but Garry is not giving up and he has that Yamaha sliding well now.

As they commence the last lap Rossi took Barros for 3rd but the two men out front are Biaggi and Capirossi who are nearly running side by side. Capirossi leading, then Biaggi, then Capirossi, then Biaggi, I can't keep up.

Biaggi takes the win in what will go down in history as one of the best 500 GP races ever with around 2 seconds covering the top 6.