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Written by:
Colin Young
09/23/2006 - 07:00 PM
Motegi, Japan
Loris Capirossi celebrates on the podium at Twin Ring Motegi after winning the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix. (Photo: Getty Images/Kazuhiro Nogi) » More Photos
Capirossi Dominates, Rossi Cuts Title Deficit to 12
Ducati rider Loris Capirossi rode a near-perfect race, leading all the way to score a convincing victory in the Japanese Grand Prix today. Capirossi held off a late-race surge by Valentino Rossi to win his third race of the season. In an all-Italian finish Marco Melandri claimed third place on a Honda.
While the 24-lap race was a triumph for the hard-riding Capirossi, it was a setback for American Nicky Hayden, who was again let down by clutch troubles with his Honda RC211V.
Hayden came home fifth and was powerless to stop Rossi cutting his championship lead to just 12 points with two races remaining.
Hayden goes to the next race at Estoril with 236 points, with Rossi on 224, desperately needing a technical boost from Honda.
The title hopes of Hayden's HRC factory teammate, the Spanish rookie Dani Pedrosa, are now gone after his seventh-place finish at Motegi. If
Ahead of Hayden in fourth place was Sete Gibernau, on a Ducati, after surviving a last-lap tangle with local hero Shinya Nakano, who crashed and failed to finish.
Spaniard Toni Elías was sixth ahead of Pedrosa with Colin Edwards, Kenny Roberts Jr. and Makoto Tamada completing the top 10.
Honda, the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, was again embarrassed, this time at home, by the clutch fitted to Hayden's RC211V. Hayden's world title hopes are seemingly fading as quickly as his clutch.
Starting seventh, Hayden was back to 12th in turn one although he fought back even though his chances of containing Rossi were gone on the opening lap.
Hayden got to sixth as Casey Stoner and Toni Elias drifted back, with Stoner then crashing out, unhurt, on lap 13. When Nakano crashed on the final lap as he was squeezed by Gibernau, Hayden moved to fifth at the flag.
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