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race, continuing a personal comeback after a fruitful winter of testing. Garry McCoy, in his first visit to the Malaysian circuit, was third on the Red Bull Gauloises Yamaha, seven seconds adrift but well on the charge after finally getting past Marlboro Yamaha's Max Biaggi. The Italian blamed a too-soft rear tire after running wide several times. A long way back came Nobuatsu Aoki on the second Suzuki, overcoming pain and injury from a practice crash to show the surviving factory Hondas the way home. "I wouldn't want to run that race again," grinned a happy Roberts, lucky not to become embroiled in the Capirossi-Criville melee. "I went inside of the crash, but Criville's bike chased me the same way. I missed it by less than a meter." His decision to slow when the rain came was vindicated as the first few riders pulled into the pits. The latest rule requires only two-thirds rather than three-quarters race distance to be run, so full points were awarded. By then, however, hot class rookie Valentino Rossi was also long gone after high-siding out in a spectacular fashion after four laps (he was running in second place). Roberts' victory was his first of the year, but his second in three races (he won the season-closing Argentine GP last year). His win broke a streak of seven 500cc races with seven different winners - a record in the class. Earlier, Shinya Nakano had run away with his second consecutive Gany McCoy (24) was again spectacular in Malaysia. Here he holds off the charge of Valentino Rossi (46) and Max Blaggi (4). McCoy finished third. 250cc race, with Chesterfield Yamaha teammate Olivier Jacque taking second place as the sweet-handling machines proved their worth on the sweeping curves. Axo Honda's Daijiro Katoh was four seconds adrift in third and Aprilia's Ralf Waldmann was a close fourth. Shell Advance Honda's Tohru Ukawa scored no points, as he was one of several to crash out. He looped into the gravel shortly after taking the lead on the first lap. His teammate Anthony West was again a hero of the afternoon, finishing fifth in spite of having crashed heavily the day before and riding despite earlier predictions that he would not be fit. West was only narrowly beaten by ex- 125cc star Marco Melandri on the factory Aprilia after a fierce battle. Festina Derbi's Youichi Ui led the entire 125cc race with the exception of the last few yards and lost the race after Roberto Locatelli and his Vasco Rossi Aprilia overcame a midrace lead of better than five seconds and overtook him in the last corner. Benetton Honda's Mirko Giansanti was alongside Ui across the line, but he was classified third by two-thousandths of a second. 500cc GRAND PRIX It started with a brawling first lap. Roberts got away quickly and then held his hand up as his bike gassed up on his first upshift and he was overwhelmed by the pack. Checa led into the first corner, with Norick Abe on his heels and the rest going back and forth behind them. Capirossi was fifth or sixth as they ran past marshal post number 30 (of 43) and he tipped the bike over to the right. That was followed, unfortunately, by an instant slip-slide-flick high-sider that threw him through the air. Later, he thought it might have been a dirty part of the track, because it took him by surprise. His bike slid back toward the inside of the track and Criville had no chance of avoiding it; he too went flying. "I'd made a good start, and I might have got some points," he said later. "This whole weekend is one I'd rather forget. " The two Yamahas leading the pack began to pull out a lead over the next couple of laps, with third-placed McCoy battling with Rossi and Biaggi while Roberts moved through quickly Rossi wasn't so fortunate. The young Italian crashed out while running second early in the race. McCoy and Roberts prepare to take evasive action. cue I e n e _ S • APRIL 12,2000 19