MotoGP: Tamada wins in Brazil

With neither Rossi or Gibernau on the front row for the first time this season, both were forced to push hard to fight their way through the group as pole setter Kenny Roberts and Max Biaggi set the pace over the first lap.

Gibernau's charge ended on the second lap when he crashed his Honda just moments after overtaking Rossi for fifth place, while the Italian's Yamaha slid out of fourth place some 12 laps later.

With Roberts dropping back through the group, Biaggi was chased for the lead by Nicky Hayden until four laps from the end, when a stunning late charge from Tamada sealed a first ever win for Bridgestone tyres, who took their first podium with the same rider at the same circuit less than a year ago.

Second place for Biaggi sealed a one-two for Camel Honda and moves the Italian to within just 13 points of Gibernau and Rossi at the top of the standings, with Rossi still leading the way thanks to a superior win ratio.

Nicky Hayden clinched his first podium of the season, the third of his career, in third place after pushing Biaggi and Tamada all the way to the line, with Loris Capirossi some eleven seconds behind in a lonely but welcome fourth place for Ducati.

Alex Barros was unable to challenge for the podium in front of his home crowd, suffering from the pain of a hand injury sustained in a practice crash on Friday afternoon.

The Brazilian rode bravely to fifth place ahead of Honda colleague Colin Edwards, who now moves up to fourth in the championship after another top six finish.

Kenny Roberts took a best finish of the season for Suzuki in seventh place, just ahead of the first Yamaha, ridden by Norick Abe. Shinya Nakano brought his Kawasaki home in ninth, with Carlos Checa completing the top ten and consequently conceding fourth place in the rider standings to Edwards.