MotoReview

Over the next couple of laps the three-bike leading group of Stoner, Hayden and Rossi became a five-bike leading group, as the Ducatis of Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau made some ground on the race leaders. It was Rossi that was on a real charge though - the Italian made a move on Hayden for second place which eventually stuck, but only after several corners of frantic and extremely close switches in position between the two riders.

On lap nine MotoGP rookie Chris Vermeulen rode his Suzuki GSV-R into the pits to retire with ‘a similar fault' to his team-mate Hopkins. To say it hasn't been Suzuki's weekend would be an understatement.

By lap 10 Rossi was leading the race ahead of Stoner and Hayden. The Camel-liveried M1 was disappearing into the distance and it was clear that Hayden would have to get past Casey's LCR Honda or this race would be over before it reached the half-way point. Nicky soon did just that and so did Capirossi several laps later.

It was now a straight fight between Rossi and Hayden for the win, and try as he might the world champ couldn't run away with it. On lap 19 Nicky was close enough at the end of the start-finish straight to overtake the Rossi's M1 where he managed to remain, but only for one lap after which Rossi would make the same move to re-take first place.

With two laps left Sete Gibernau went past Stoner's RCV and into fourth place, but the three leading bikes were by now well ahead.

On the last lap both Rossi and Hayden pushed as hard as they could but the gap would not change. When the podium finishers crossed the line they were just 1.5 seconds apart after 43 minutes of racing.

Elsewhere the Spanish star Dani Pedrosa was involved in a close fight with Marco Melandri for sixth, which he eventually won. Toni Elias finished behind his team-mate in eighth. The top 10 was completed by Colin Edwards, the second quickest Yamaha rider of the day, and Kenny Roberts Jr on the KR211V.

Qatar MotoGP Race Results 

1) Valentino Rossi Camel Yamaha Team
2) Nicky Hayden Repsol Honda Team +0.9
3) Loris Capirossi Ducati Marlboro Team +1.494
4) Sete Gibernau Ducati Marlboro Team +4.638
5) Casey Stoner Honda LCR +7.575
6) Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team +10.82
7) Marco Melandri Fortuna Honda +11.784
8) Toni Elias Fortuna Honda +19.481
9) Colin Edwards Camel Yamaha Team +22.92
10) Kenny Roberts Jr Team Roberts +34.286
11) Shinya Nakano Kawasaki Racing Team +35.316
12) Carlos Checa Tech 3 Yamaha +49.245
13) James Ellison Tech 3 Yamaha +1'01.469
14) Makoto Tamada Konica Minolta Honda +1'10.778
15) Alex Hofmann Pramac d'Antín MotoGP +1'22.051
16) Jose Luis Cardoso Pramac d'Antín MotoGP +1'33.818
17) Chris Vermeulen Rizla Suzuki MotoGP DNF +15 laps
18) John Hopkins Rizla Suzuki MotoGP DNF +18 laps
19) Randy De Puniet Kawasaki Racing Team DNF +21.5 laps