Barros wins two-stroke race for home crowd.

Twenty-three-year old Valentino Rossi clinched the very first MotoGP World Championship with his tenth grand prix victory of the season in the Rio Grand Prix, but Alex Barros gave the home crowd something to cheer by racing through the field to snatch two-stroke glory behind the leading four-stroke runners.

Riding the four-stroke Honda, Rossi was supreme in the pouring rain, but Barros became the first two-stroke finisher in fourth place to the delight of his native fans. It was a good day all round for the West Honda Pons team, with the Brazilian's team-mate Loris Capirossi taking fifth place in the 24-lap race around the bumpy and slippery Autodromo Nelson Piquet circuit on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.

"I'm pretty happy to finish the first two-stroke and in front of the Brazilian crowd," Barros admitted, "I needed a good race and tried all I knew to stay with the four-strokes at the front - but it was very hard. When Carlos Checa came past me, I tried to stay with him, but it was impossible with his speed on the straights. Then Loris started to catch me - but I was able to push again to keep the gap between us.

In the appalling conditions, Rossi kept cool while, once again, his rivals fell by the wayside. His team-mate Tohru Ukawa could have prevented him clinching the title in Rio, but he crashed after just one a half laps. American Kenny Roberts, who clinched the World 500cc Championship in Rio two years ago, made a superb start from the fourth row of the grid, riding the four-stroke Suzuki. He took the lead from Rossi on the second lap and held the champion-elect at bay for the next twelve laps in the rain and spray.

Typically, Rossi was biding his time with Max Biaggi behind him in third place, leading Barros. However, Biaggi's Yamaha team-mate, Carlos Checa, was flying in the rain after starting from last place when he missed a gear on the line. Lapping two seconds faster than anybody else, the Spaniard was soon up into third place. On lap 15, he moved into second place, pushing Biaggi back to third. He took the lead from Rossi on the very next lap, only to lose the front end of his Yamaha almost immediately and crash out of the race, leaving the way clear for Rossi to go on and win.

Barros and Capirossi led the two-stroke charge followed by the Yamahas of Norick Abe and Olivier Jacque. Roberts' team-mate Sete Gibernau was eighth in front of Dutchman Jurgen van den Goorbergh and Australian Garry McCoy.

"This was a special race for me and I tried my best," Barros continued, "I honestly think I had a good race and Checa's fall means that I have moved up in the overall classification. Now I am fourth and, if I ride the four-stroke in Motegi, I will be able to fight to keep this position. In comparison to the race at Estoril, this circuit had much more grip in the wet and I really did give it my all in my home Grand Prix."

"It was a good result for me and the team - and we will be looking for more in those final four races," Capirossi added, having fought his way through from the lower half of the grid, "After the problems we had in practice and qualifying, the bike was so much better in the wet race.

"It was really hard to pass Norick Abe but, once I got by, I was able to ride really fast and try and put some pressure on my team-mate. When I felt more comfortable, I stepped up the rhythm and, if the race had lasted a little longer I think I would have been able to catch Alex, but I am satisfied because I had a good race. After failing to finish in Estoril two weeks ago, this was a good result for us and I'm looking forward to those last four races."

"Michelin made a whole range of wet tyres available to us, and the last batch that they have developed have been very competitive and both riders have been able to ride in the wet with a lot more confidence in the front and rear wheels," confided technical director Antonio Cobas.

World 250cc champion Daijiro Kato crashed the four-stroke Honda on the first bend of the race, while the in-form Jeremy McWilliams crashed when his Proton KR machine seized. Regis Laconi and Shinya Nakano also crashed out of the race.

"Qualifying was complicated for us, but I think we sorted the situation out today, and both Alex and Loris have demonstrated that they posses a champion spirit inside," concluded team boss Sito Pons, "I would like to congratulate the riders on their performance, but also the technical staff in the team and the guys from Michelin who all helped us to be competitive in the end."