Valentino Rossi took advantage of a crash between two Yamaha front-runners with three laps left Sunday to win the MotoGP German Grand Prix.

Olivier Jacque and Alex Barros collided heading into a curve, allowing the 23-year-old Honda rider to win his eighth race in ninth events this year.

Rossi won in 42 minutes, 32.783 seconds, with fellow Italian Max Biaggi second and .730 seconds back on his Yamaha, followed by Japan's Tohru Ukawa on a Honda.

Jacque, the first non-Italian to start from the pole this season, slipped by Rossi as the 23-year-old Italian spun out too wide on a straightaway with five laps left.

With Biaggi also overtaking Rossi, Yamaha appeared well on the way to repeat its performance at the Sachsenring last year when it swept the race.

Rossi, the defending world champion, started off just sixth after qualifying. At one point he fell back to 11th before charging back to take the lead with 11 laps left.

He also erased memories of last year's German GP, when he finished just seventh, his worst showing in dry weather conditions in the last two years.

Rossi now has a commanding lead in the overall standings with 220 points to Ukawa's 124.

Marco Melandri survived a crash on his Aprilia to win the 250cc, speeding around the 81.488km in 32:12.725, with fellow Italian second on his Honda.

In the 125cc, Arnaud Vincent edged San Marino's Alex De Angelis on his Aprilia, covering the 100.008km in 40:40.023 to move close to taking the lead in the overall standings.

San Marino's Manuel Poggiali, who finished fourth, has 160 and the Frenchman 153 points.

Back to top