MotoGP Rd 3 - Rossi wins rain-swept Chinese GP

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Valentino Rossi leads Toni Elias and John Hopkins in the early stages of the race - Elias had a ride-through penalty to ruin his chances of a good result

Colin Edwards' Yamaha leads Ruben Xaus' Yamaha ahead of Nakano and Battaini - Edwards was ninth, Xaus tenth.

Valentino is obviously thrilled that his friend Olivier Jacque has finished second. After the race Rossi said: "I read that Olivier was coming to MotoGP for two races and that China was just for training, so now we must watch out for him at Le Mans."

Valentino explores the pits in Shanghai

Alex Barros dominated practice but the wet weather. Seventh in the early stages, his race was ruined by a ride through penalty.

Barros soldiered on from his ride through for eleventh place and now holds third place in the championship points table, albeit 27 points in arrears of Rossi

John Hopkins leads sete Gibernau in the early race with Van Der Goorbergh showing his Dutch heritage by riding well in the rain.

A call-up out of the blue and a two race contract were the setting for what almost turned out to be a fairy-tale finish. Olivier Jacque closed down Rossi in the rain but failed to catch him by the narrowest of margins

Jacque passes Biaggi for fourth and sets out after Gibernau for third.

One very happy Frenchman - Olivier Jacque after the race

Jurgen van den Goorbergh made the most of his opportunity on the Konica Minolta Honda RC211V when Makoto Tamada broke his wrist.

Another podium with Sete Gibernau - Rossi in the centre, Melandri at right and Jacque at left.

The first lap charge with Hopkins, Melandri, Gibernau, Roberts and Rossi fighting through the spray

Lap three and Kenny Roberts leads the GP, ahead of Rossi, Elias, Biaggi, Gibernau and Hopkins

Marco Melandri is showing the benefits of consistency - his third place has now netted him second place overall in the title chase - from two thirds and a fourth place.

Biaggi showed spirit in the rain for fifth place - he now holds fourth in the title chase with 36 points

Roberts leads on lap two with Valentino close behind. machanical gramlins cost him the best chance he'd had at a win in four years

Shinya Nakano celebrated his 100th Grand Prix start but had a bad day overall.

Nicky Hayden and Troy Bayliss both had days they would rather forget.

Loris Capirossi with John Hopkins and Colin Edwards in close company

Gibernau, Biaggi, Melandri, Hopkins and olivier Jacque in the early laps

Some days, having 250 horsepower is not all that much fun. Kenny Roberts attempts to get some power on the tarmac.

Gibernau was unlicky to slip two places in the final laps, costing him valuable points - it was a shame the track wasn't dry as Gibernau and Rossi would have had a closer race.

Tohru Ukawa rode the Moriwaki Honda to fifteenth place and one point - that's Franco Battaini and Alex barros behind him

Ruben Xaus has scored points at the last two GPs on his Yamaha. “I am progressing, at least I was able to score some points and finish in the top ten, although I still owe my team a lot for the mistakes I made in pre-season."