Only the MotoGP class raced here because of the Californian law on air pollution, which forbids 2-stroke engines in the state.

The second row of the grid consists out of Troy Bayliss, and the two other Americans Colin Edwards and John Hopkins.

[8][9] The Factory Suzuki Team chose to display its own one-off livery after a partnership with the Austrian energy drink company Red Bull, having unveiled it two weeks earlier at the Dutch race.

[10][11][12] Before the start of the race, one minute of silence was held to remember the victims who had fallen in the recent 7/7 bombings in London.

As they come up to the Corkscrew corner, Hayden already has a significant gap back to Rossi, the American being helped by his earlier experience on this venue from his AMA Superbike days.

He however runs a bit wide exiting the fast bend, allowing the Australian to get back at him and retain his spot.

[14] Lap three and Rossi has pulled a big gap to Bayliss, who is starting to form a small train of riders behind him.

Edwards has managed to gain two places from the last lap shunt and also passed Gibernau to position himself behind Hopkins in sixth.

Biaggi makes his move at Turn 5, diving down the inside of Bayliss but running wide upon exit once again, allowing the Honda Pons rider to come back at him and battle him at the straight.

[14] Gibernau meanwhile managed to catch up due to the fighting and made a late lunge down the inside of Biaggi, shoving him out of the way and taking fifth place by force.

Exiting the Andretti Hairpin, Checa tries to take seventh by overtaking the Red Bull Suzuki on the outside before Turn 3, failing and having to slot in behind.

At the front, all is stable - Hayden leads Rossi by +2.1 seconds whilst Edwards has pulled a gap to Gibernau and is now slowly catching his Yamaha teammate.

Lap seven and the duo of Gibernau and Biaggi start to create a small gap to sixth place Bayliss.

Biaggi, still right behind Gibernau, finally makes a move for fourth after the Spaniard runs a little wide at Turn 3, going through the corner side-by-side with the 'Roman Emperor' coming out on top.

He patiently waits behind 'The Doctor', then pounces at the Corkscrew, going up his inside and manages to pass Rossi for second place under a loud cheer from the predominantly American crowd.

However, entering the Andretti Hairpin, Rossi runs wide and allows the American to easily ride away.

With a jubilant American crowd cheering on Edwards as he crosses the line on the start of lap nineteen, he now wants to give chase to leader Hayden.

The gap comes down even more in sector 1 - from +2.163 to +2.045 seconds as Hayden has to overtake a backmarker in the form of James Ellison.

Lap twenty-seven, Tamada overtakes Hopkins at Turn 1, the Japanese making good use of his superior Honda top-end speed to blast past on the inside.

Hayden leads Edwards by a dominant +2.6 seconds whilst the other American now has to do everything to keep Rossi at bay as he starts closing in.

[14][7] Biaggi crosses the line in fourth, Gibernau in fifth and Bayliss just manages to hold off a charging Tamada for sixth.

As the riders walk up to the podium, Nicky Hayden gets a loud cheer of happiness from the crowd as he joyfully raises his arm to indicate his win.

Lawson also hands Pete Benson - the chief mechanic of the Repsol Honda team - the constructors trophy.