MotoGP's Best Battles: No6 Phillip Island 1999

Our pick of the 10 greatest premier-class multi-rider dogfights of all time

hillip Island again, and Roberts Junior loses a big lead when his Suzuki’s rear tyre falls apart with five laps to go. As the next year’s champ stopped, all hell broke loose – a three-way battle between Biaggi (Yamaha), Laconi (Yamaha) and Okada (Honda). Biaggi led into the last lap, using tight, defensive lines.

But when he left the door open into MG hairpin Okada inched ahead and flashed across the line with Biaggi almost by his side and Laconi sucking heavily on their exhaust fumes. It still ranks as the closest premier-class podium in history.

Words Mat Oxley