MUGELLO, Italy, 9 June 2003 — World MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi led a home podium sweep at the Italian Grand Prix yesterday, extending his championship lead.
Rossi overcame compatriots Loris Capirossi and Max Biaggi to record his third win of the year and increase his lead over Biaggi to 32 points after five rounds.
“For sure it’s something special to win here at Mugello in front of such a big home crowd,” Rossi told reporters.
“I think for them it was good, because we (Italian riders) put on a good battle. I have to compliment Loris and Max. They pushed me hard on Sunday.”
Having dominated qualifying, the three Italians started on the front row of the grid and the three-way duel the home crowd had hoped for materialized from the start.
When the red lights went out, Capirossi’s Ducati — which reached 331km/h on Saturday, shattering the Grand Prix speed record — accelerated fastest, taking the lead from pole-man Rossi at the first corner.
But while the Ducati hurtled down the straights, it proved twitchy at the corners, and on the fourth lap Capirossi slid wide on a tight right-hand bend to let Biaggi through.
Rossi, also a winner in Spain and Japan this year, slipped through soon after and pressurized Biaggi, who surrendered the lead under braking at the end of the straight on lap 12.
With seven of the 23 laps remaining, Rossi had opened up a one and a half second lead over his pursuers and despite a late charge by Capirossi, who muscled past Biaggi, the world champion held on to win his second consecutive Italian Grand Prix.
“For myself I’m delighted. I knew Loris was catching me at the end, but fortunately I’d done enough,” said Rossi.
Capirossi, meanwhile, told reporters he was pleased with his second place, which lifted him from 13th to seventh in the standings and represented Ducati’s best finish this season.
The Italian outfit is competing in Grand Prix for the first time in 30 years.
“I went out to give 110 per cent for the whole race. In the last four laps I really tried to catch Valentino, but I couldn’t quite do it,” he said. “But second is a great result for me and the team — especially for the team.”
Earlier, Italian Lucio Cecchinello and Manuel Poggiali of San Marino triumphed in the 125cc and 250cc races.
