My picks in the MCNEWS.COM.AU Tipping Comp' for today were Biaggi, McCoy, Capirossi but to score points in our tipping comp' you also have to get them in the correct order.  5 points for 1st, 3 points for 2nd and 2 points for 3rd.

Capirossi stunned all in final qualifying yesterday by going 8 tenths quicker than any one else but can he hold that type of speed in the race? That is the largest gap between 1st and 2nd qualifiers since Doohan's pole at the Czech GP in 1997.

The 500 season is underway!  They all got away well, Biaggi leads them through turn 1 but Capirossi takes the lead in turn 2.  Capirossi, Biaggi, Nakano, Abe, McCoy, Roberts, Barros, Haga. Walker in the dirt.  Nakano through on Biaggi for 2nd, McCoy up into 4th.

McCoy nearly made a pass on Biaggi into the 130R turn which would have been absolutely amazing if he pulled it off but decided to wait a couple more corners before making his move and taking 3rd from Biaggi.  Criville ran off into the dirt but managed to rejoin.  McCoy around the outside of Nakano, the boy from Camden is on fire!

Capirossi still out in front but being stalked by McCoy, there we go Garry goes through for the lead on lap 2.  Rossi is fighting his way through the field and now up to 5th, a lap later he makes another move and takes 4th.

McCoy, Nakano, Biaggi, Rossi, Capirossi, Abe, Ukawa is the race order.  Garry is really throwing that Red-Bull Yamaha around.  Valentino tries to put a move on Biaggi but could not make it stick.  Haga makes a fantastic fast move into 5th.  Through the chicane Biaggi and Rossi were leaning on each other, then onto the straight Biaggi forced Rossi out on to the dirt with elbows right out, an obvious aggressive move to force Rossi into the dirt but all is fair in love and war and Max can't be criticised for that.  Haga and Ukawa are having a great battle and swapping places for 5th.  Rossi tries again on Biaggi but Max simply closes the door again which slowed Valentino and allowed Ukawa to challenge him, but the Italian held him out.  Rossi finally gets through on Max and really darted in front of Max in retaliation for the earlier elbows incident, great racing, get stuck in boys.  Rossi even hung a finger at Biaggi when he got in front of him.

Rossi through on Nakano for 2nd and rushing into the corners so hot and nearly put a move on McCoy.  It looks to be a matter of time, there he goes, Rossi hits the lead.  Garry slipstreams him down the straight and nearly gets him back but Rossi just managed to hold him out.  Biaggi up into 3rd and Haga 4th.

Lap 7 and Ukawa through on Haga for 4th.  Rossi opening a gap now at just over one-third race distance.  Biaggi through on McCoy for 2nd, if he can catch up to Rossi stand-by for some serious elbow and knee action, bring it on.....

Garry makes a bit of a mistake and Haga is right on his case now, the Red-Bull Yamahas look  to be joined at the frame.  Biaggi is trying hard, it looks as though he has decided he will catch Rossi or crash trying.

Rossi, Biaggi, McCoy, Ukawa, Haga, Abe, Nakano is the race order now after 9 of the 21 laps.  Biaggi the fastest man that time around.  Ukawa through on McCoy for 3rd.  Somebody in the dirt, Haga maybe, yep Haga in the dirt it looked as though he lost the front as he did yesterday during qualifying making it 3 crashes for the weekend.  Haga looks unhurt.

Ukawa now the fastest man on the track and hounding Biaggi, this will of course help race leader Rossi.  McCoy falling a bit behind the leading trio now.  Reigning world champion Kenny Roberts in 9th.  Ukawa and Biaggi fighting hard, Ukawa forces his way through, an aggressive move from the ex-250 rider.

The next lap Ukawa ran a little wide which left him off line for the next turn which allowed Max to go round the outside of him.  This battle for second is doing great things for Rossi's lead which is now well over 2 seconds.

Ukawa through on Biaggi in the chicane for 2nd.   Biaggi looks to be fading a little, McCoy should take him shortly.  6 laps remaining.

McCoy through on Biaggi for 3rd at the end of the main straight.  Let's hope Garry has got his second wind and can make some ground on Nakano.    Mark Willis in the pits with what looks like mechanical problems.  Bad luck for Mark, but at least they completed plenty of laps to give them some direction for the bikes development.  Only 15 riders now left in the race.

Rossi has over 3 seconds on the now 2nd placed McCoy who just relegated Ukawa to 3rd.  Ukawa, HUGE highside, I saw it from the onboard rear-facing camera on McCoy's bike and it looked savage, a chill went down my spine with the force of that impact.  He is hurt but conscious, god knows how....  Biaggi had to do a major emergency braking maneuver to avoid the ensuing carnage.  That happened so quick and Ukawa had absolutely no chance of saving it, a crash like that will surely take some getting over both physically, but maybe even more importantly, mentally...

Rossi has 3.5 seconds over the 2nd placed McCoy.  Abe through on Nakano for 4th.  Biaggi pushed back to 4th by Abe.

2 laps to run and Rossi still has over 3 seconds on McCoy, who has around half-a-second over the 3rd placed Abe.  Biaggi just went so sideways on the way out of a left hander, absolutely beautiful, I could watch that all day.

Final lap and Rossi has this thing wrapped up if nothing untowards happens.  What sort of celebration will we see?  Biaggi on a last lap charge, through on Abe and after McCoy.  Hold on Garry....  Abe is coming back at Biaggi.  Rossi has a look behind him as he exits the chicane, Rossi wins, McCoy 2nd, Biaggi 3rd.

Rossi will be the golden boy tonight in the Honda camp.  Honda's 500th GP win.

• Race Result
• Subscribers to our SMS service got the results on their phone

• Championship

1. Rossi
2. McCoy
3. Biaggi
4. Abe
5. Nakano
6. Barros
7. Roberts
8. Capirossi
9. Criville
10. Checa
11. Goorbergh
12. Aoki
13. Haslam