Valentino Rossi up to 3rd towards the end of the lap and on Biaggi, Roberts had pulled out a few bike lengths lead by the time they commenced lap 2. Rossi shot through on Biaggi for 2nd at the start of lap 3. Alex Barros the fastest man on lap 2 and through on Ukawa for 4th, a few corners later Barros went through on Biaggi for 3rd, and on the very next corner also took Rossi! Barros leading the charge of the two stroke brigade and doing it in style, he made both Biaggi and Rossi look downright silly around that section of the track. Now he takes the lead, Barros took the lead from Roberts at the end of the lap but Roberts got him down the straight but Barros just outbraked him in to turn 1 and took the lead again. Wow, I don't think many people would have predicted this. Barros fastest man again on lap 3. Rossi through on Roberts for 2nd, Barros had pulled a few bike lengths so Rossi must have decided it is time to prevent the Brazilian from getting away.

Ukawa through on Roberts for 3rd early on lap 5. Barros and Rossi have cleared out a little now, Loris Capirossi crashed out. Barros fastest again on lap 4 but Rossi responded by dipping in to 2m01s on lap 5 to take a new fastest lap. Barros' NSR 500 looks to easily have the corner speed over the 4-stroke, but in turn the 4-stroke has so much more top speed down the straight. Gibernau down and out on lap 8.

Barros still holding off Rossi and showing a corner speed advantage but on the main straight Rossi catches Barros so fast that it looks as though he could just blow past him on the straight if he needed to. Barros and Rossi now have 4.5 seconds over the group of Ukawa, Checa and Biaggi who are battling for 3rd.

Checa and Biaggi went through on Ukawa a couple of laps later. Rossi still just looking to be maintaining station on Barros' tail. John Hopkins running in 7th, behind a fast starting but rapidly slowing Kenny Roberts. 6 laps to run.

Rossi blew past Barros on the straight with 4 laps to run and put the hammer right down. He is on it now and trying to make a gap on Barros. Rossi set a new fastest lap on the 16th time around with a near 2m01 dead, a little over half a second on Barros now. He stretched that out to a full second with 2 laps to run. Rossi set a new fastest lap once again on the penultimate lap.

Rossi came out of the chicane on one wheel, crossed up holding a thumbs up to the crowd, absolutely beautiful to watch. Ukawa and Checa had a coming together in the chicane which sent both of them on to the grass, Ukawa came off worse and actually slipped off and lost a couple of places before he could jump back on and cross the line for 5th. Barros a clear 2nd, Checa 3rd, Biaggi 4th, Ukawa 5th.