Capirossi wins in Japan

Loris Capirossi took an impressive flag-to-flag victory at the Japanese GP in Motegi, taking a double win for Italy in front of the Japanese manufacturers.

Capirossi qualified on pole and continued to grow his lead throughout the race eventually finishing over four second ahead fo second placed man Valentino Rossi.

Rossi briefly lost out on second place to Marco Melandri but within a few laps he had retained second and tried to hunt down the Ducati.

But Capirossi was adamant that he was going to take the win and managed to maintain a pace that Rossi couldn’t.

Second place means that Rossi is now just 11 points down on Nicky Hayden for the championship after the American Honda rider only managed to place fifth. Marco Melandri is also now just 25 points down on Hayden.

Sete Gibernau took his second fourth place in a row after nearly being taken out by Shinya Nakano on the last lap.

Nakano was siting in fifth and decided to go for the overtake when Gibernau shut the door on him and hit his front wheel leaving the Kawasaki rider to slide off in to the gravel.

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