tighter line entering Castrol Omega, moving him up into second position. On lap sixteen, Pedrosa and Melandri have slowly closed the gap to Rossi, opening up a small gap of their own to Hayden. No overtakes happened at the front. Lap seventeen and the top four now consists out of Rossi, Pedrosa, Melandri and Hayden Fifth placed Capirossi is starting to lose connection to the top four by now. On lap eighteen, the front is stable and no overtakes happened. Capirossi's gap to sixth place Nakano is +1.816 seconds. Lap nineteen and Hayden's gap to Capirossi is now +1.248 seconds. Melandri closes up to Pedrosa and has a look up the inside of the Spaniard at the Sachsen Kurve, but stays behind for now. On lap twenty, the front is still stable and no one has made any overtakes so far. Lap twenty-one and Rossi's bike is now sliding a bit as the tyres start to wear for everyone. Pedrosa is still shadowing him in second. At the Sachsen Kurve, Melandri finally makes a move and passes Pedrosa on the inside for second position. As Rossi crosses the line to start lap twenty-two, Hayden goes side by side with Pedrosa at the start/finish straight and tries to overtake him on the outside at the entrance of the Coca-Cola Kurve, failing to do so and having to settle for fourth. On lap twenty-three, Melandri is all over the back of Rossi during the lap but is not able to make a move. No overtakes happen at the front. Lap twenty-four and Pedrosa passes Melandri at the inside of the Coca-Coca Kurve, promoting him up into second place. At the Sachsen Kurve, Melandri takes back second position from Pedrosa. The Spaniard tries to retake it but decides to stay behind for now as they enter the Queckenberg Kurve. On lap twenty-five, Pedrosa tries a move up the inside of Melandri by taking the shorter line at Castrol Omega, but gets blocked off by Melandri mid-corner, forcing him to back off. Lap twenty-six and Pedrosa takes second from Melandri, this time executing to perfection the move he tried earlier on the Italian at Castrol Omega. At the Sachsen Kurve, Pedrosa runs wide and allows both Melandri and Hayden to overtake him, making him lose two positions in one corner. On lap twenty-seven, Rossi now has pulled a small gap back to Melandri, who