ESTORIL, Portugal, 8 September 2003 — Italian world championship leader Valentino Rossi saw off a spirited Max Biaggi challenge to win the Portuguese Grand Prix for the third year in a row yesterday. The MotoGP champion Rossi piloted his Honda around 28 laps of the bumpy, twisting Estoril track near Lisbon in 46 minutes 48.005 seconds, 2.094 seconds ahead of compatriot Biaggi, also on a Honda.
Ducati’s Loris Capirossi completed a podium sweep for Italy after prevailing in a spectacular last-lap battle with Spanish title contender Sete Gibernau, whose fourth place means he drops to 46 points behind Rossi in the championship race. Biaggi made a flying start from second place on the grid, tearing away to take an early lead ahead of Rossi and Capirossi, who began in pole position on the 4.2-km track.
Careful cornering kept a narrow but stubborn lead for Biaggi in the first few laps, although Rossi was chasing hard on his heels and set one of several new unofficial lap records despite windy conditions.
Rossi, who won here on his way to claiming the world title in 2001 and 2002, finally overtook his archrival on the home straight at the halfway point of the race.
The 24-year-old Rossi then proceeded to build up a convincing lead with some dazzling riding, his front wheel often up lifting up as he powered down the straights and the RCV bike wobbling as he took daring lines on the tight bends.
With five races remaining in the campaign, Rossi heads the championship tally with 237 points. Gibernau is second with 191 with Biaggi third on 161 and Capirossi fourth with 113.
Capirossi, who set the fastest lap time of the day at one minute 38.412 seconds, found the pace at the start too quick even for the impressive Ducati four stroke.
Spain’s Toni Elias won the 250cc race by a comfortable margin from Italian championship leader Manuel Poggiali.
Elias took advantage of his pole position to pull clear of the pack and steadily build up his lead to 4.731 seconds at the line after steering his Aprilia around 26 laps of the Estoril circuit in 44 minutes 37.770 seconds.
San Marino’s Poggiali nipped ahead of Roberto Rolfo to take second after Argentine Sebastian Porto brushed with the Italian while trying to pass him on the inside on a tight bend in the last lap.
Spain’s Pablo Nieto pipped compatriot Hector Barbera on the line to win his first 125cc race.
Nieto clocked a time of 41 minutes 8.307 seconds around 23 laps, just 0.022 seconds ahead of Aprilia teammate Barbera. Close behind in third place was San Marino’s Alex de Angelis, followed by championship leader Daniel Pedrosa in fourth.
