World Champion Valentino Rossi took victory in today’s Marlboro Grand Prix of Qatar, scoring his tenth win of the season after a thrilling duel against Italian compatriot Marco Melandri.The two Italians diced for the lead in the late stages of the race after Melandri snatched first position from team-mate Sete Gibernau with five laps to go. The Spaniard from the Movistar Honda team saw his hopes of victory vanishing when he was forced out of the track by his team-mate.


Rossi assumed the lead with two laps to go and survived a last-lap charge from Melandri, as the Honda rider went wide trying to pass the World Champion. Nicky Hayden rode a steady race to take third behind Rossi and Melandri, and ahead of Colin Edwards and Sete Gibernau.

Carlos Checa took the flag in sixth, over eleven seconds adrift from the winner, followed by Shinya Nakano, Toni Elias and Alex Barros. After winning the previous two rounds, poleman Loris Capirossi couldn’t make the hat-trick; after a blazing first lap, the Italian conceded the lead and gradually lost ground. An off-track excursion saw him moving down to 12th but he eventually grabbed 10th.