The Yamaha rider -- winning here for the sixth time -- beat home Spain's Dani Pedrosa -- recording his third podium finish of the season -- while veteran Alex Barros of Brazil was third.

Australian Casey Stoner finished fourth but maintained his overall lead in the title race, holding a nine point advantage over Rossi.

The lead changed numerous times in the opening eight laps as Loris Capirossi, Stoner and Pedrosa swapped the honours, though Capirossi dropped down the field to seventh on the eighth lap.

Rossi -- known as the 'Doctor' -- became the latest new leader with 15 laps remaining passing Pedrosa with Stoner in third while Barros -- in his 264th race and on a second string Ducati -- was riding a stormer of a race and moved up to fifth.

With seven laps to go Pedrosa had reduced the gap to Rossi from over a second to seven hundredths, though, it mattered little to the passionate Italian fans who had already unfurled their banners and were waving them around with gay abandon.

They had little to fear as Rossi maintained his lead to the finish while Barros proved more than a match for Stoner, who desperately tried to pass him on the final lap but the Brazilian -- winner of the old 500cc category here in 2001 -- used all his experience to deny him.