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Final 500cc World GP sees Rossi secure 2nd overall

31 October 2000

2000 FIM 500cc Grand Prix Series Round 16: Phillip Island, Phillip Island,
Australia, October 29, 2000

The final round of the FIM 500cc GP series produced 27 laps of hair-raising
action here at Phillip Island, with Honda riders taking three of the top five
positions. The lead changed hands so many times -- sometimes on a single lap --
that it was impossible to keep up, with six different riders leading at one time
or another. Loris Capirossi on the Emerson Honda Pons NSR500 led the most laps,
but when it counted on the last lap it was fellow Italian Max Biaggi who took
the checkered flag. Capirossi trailed home in second, followed by Nastro Azzurro
Honda pilot Valentino Rossi, and Capirossi's teammate Alex Barros, all covered
by less than 0.5 second at the finish. The factory-backed Repsol Honda team had
an off day, with Alex Criville -- in his last race as reigning world champion --
crashing out on lap three; he was unhurt. Sete Gibernau retired on lap 20 with
mechanical problems, and Tadayuki Okada finished ninth.


Australian 500 GP, Top Finishers


1. Max Biaggi - Yamaha


2. Loris Capirossi - Honda


3. Valentino Rossi - Honda


4. Alex Barros - Honda


5. Garry McCoy - Yamaha


9. Tadayuki Okada - Honda


dnf Alex Crivill - Honda


dnf Sete Gibernau - Honda





Final FIM 500cc GP Points Standings


1. Kenny Roberts Jr. - Suzuki - 258 points


2. Valentino Rossi - Honda - 209 points


3. Max Biaggi - Yamaha - 170 points


4. Alex Barros - Honda - 163 points


5. Garry McCoy - Yamaha - 161 points


7. Loris Capirossi - Honda - 154 points


9. Alex Crivill - Honda - 122 points


11. Tadayuki Okada - Honda - 107 points


15. Sete Gibernau - Honda - 72 points