Ukawa, Checa, Biaggi, Rossi, Roberts, Gibernau, Capirossi, Barros, Jacque, Aoki the top ten as they started lap two of the 25 lap race.

Checa took the lead early in lap two relegating Ukawa to 2nd.  Ukawa pulled alongside on horsepower on the main straight as they started lap 3 but Checa held him off under brakes to retain the lead.  Rossi looking to set up Biaggi to try and take his 3rd position.  Checa set the fastest lap on lap 3.  Rossi got Biaggi for 3rd on lap 4.

The leading quartet fairly close before a gap to the Suzuki pairing of Roberts and Gibernau holding down 5th and 6th.  Rossi set a new fastest lap on the 5th time around.  Gibernau fell early on lap 6.

Rossi started to challenge Ukawa for 2nd about quarter race distance but his Japanese team-mate managed to hold him off for a few laps.

Loris Capirossi took 5th from Kenny Roberts on lap 10, Barros followed him through on the next lap.

Ukawa took the lead from Carlos Checa on lap 13 but the Spaniard got him back on the next lap.  Rossi then moved through on Ukawa for 2nd, he then took the lead from Checa as they started lap 15 and put his head down.  Ukawa moved through to 2nd after passing Checa with 9 laps to run and started to try and catch Rossi who had opened up a small gap.

Tohru Ukawa left Carlos Checa behind and dipped in to the 1m45s time bracket for the first time in the race and started to pressure Valentino Rossi a little but Rossi responded and stretched away by a couple of bike lengths again.

Ukawa closed down on Rossi again and the gap kept going from one bike length to three bike lengths and back again lap after lap.  As they started the final lap Ukawa was 3-tenths behind Rossi, both riders laying h-u-g-e darkies from the middle of each turn and drifting out, Ukawa doing even nicer slides than Rossi.  Valentino proved too good once again on the last lap though and took the win, Carlos Checa a few seconds back in 3rd, and Biaggi even further behind in 4th.