Tamada wins MotoGP

Camel Honda rider Makoto Tamada has taken his first MotoGP win after championship leaders Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau crashed out of the Rio GP.

Tamada beat his team-mate Max Biaggi to the line by just two seconds with Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden taking his third ever MotoGP podium 3.5 seconds behind Biaggi.

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Loris Capirossi took the Marlboro Ducati Desmosedici to fourth place followed by the Hondas of Alex Barros and Colin Edwards. Pole position man Kenny Roberts had to make do with seventh place on his Suzuki GSV-R as he struggled to compete with the top speed of the Hondas. He was followed home by the Yamaha of Norick Abe.

Results:

Makoto Tamada, Max Biaggi, Nicky Hayden, Loris Capirossi, Alex Barros, Colin Edwards, Kenny Roberts, Norick Abe, Shinya Nakano, Carlos Checa, Alex Hofmann, Ruben Xaus, Marco Melandri, Jeremy McWilliams, John Hopkins, Neil Hodgson, Shane Byrne, Nobuatsu Aoki, Kurtis Roberts, Chris Burns.

Not Classified:

Valentino Rossi, David De Gea, Troy Bayliss, Sete Gibernau.