MOTORCYCLING Live

- Italian Rossi takes over at the top of the riders' standings with 97 points, while Spaniards Lorenzo and Pedrosa are level on 94. Reigning world champion Casey Stoner is fourth overall, a massive 38 points further back.

- Toseland collided with Dovizioso, which is why he was forced into the gravel. Shame.

- Nieto is there to ferry Rossi back to the pits!! Lorenzo is carried from his bike by a member of his team.

0' ROSSI WINS THE FRENCH MOTOGP! Lorenzo crosses for second with ease while Edwards completes the podium. Hayden down in eighth as his bad luck continues.

1' The final lap begins. If he remains on his bike and negotiates it, Rossi will equal Angel Nieto's record of GP wins - and be second in the all-time list behind Giacomo Agostini.

2' There can be no doubt about who will win this race and who will finish second. Edwards still holding off Pedrosa, with Vermuelen ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and Loris Capirossi.

4' Rossi and Lorenzo with major gaps while Edwards and Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa battle for third. What a performance from the front two, team-mates at Yamaha.

5' Randy de Puniet passes Nakano for ninth.

6' Edwards carves up pole starter Pedrosa for a podium position... Rossi leading by a margin approaching 10 seconds.

8' Stoner has a mechanical problem, he tries to rev the bike back up... THE AUSTRALIAN ON THE DUCATI MARLBORO WILL RETIRE!!! And Lorenzo goes second. Is there no stopping him?

9' Lorenzo into the top three! The man is a beast!!! Edwards could do nothing against the factroy Yamaha.

10' Rossi well out in front. Four riders close together behind him: Pedrosa, Stoner, Yamaha Tech 3's Edwards and Lorenzo.

11' The sun is out again, while the weather tries to make up its mind... only 11 laps to go.

12' HOPKINS'S CHAIN FLIES OFF HIS BIKE AND HE IS FORCED TO RETIRE!!

13' The rain begins! The white flags come out as a precautionary measure, it is only spitting, but will the riders come in and change machines?

14' Lorenzo - who can barely walk after his recent trials, including a crash in SHanghai a couple of weeks ago - shoots past Vermeulen for fifth.

15' Hayden runs wide and off the track but keeps the bike upright, allowing John Hopkins to take him.

16' Edwards goes through for third but he is a bit wide and Stoner bites back to deny him!! Rossi's lead now 2.5 seconds.

17' Pedrosa is second now ahead of Stoner. Edwards and Vermeulen lurking.

18' Lorenzo up to sixth as Rossi's lead passes the second-mark. The Spaniard, who has crashed out in two practices this weekend, closing on the front pack behind the Italian.

19' The sun is out and baking the track. What a difference to the earlier 125cc race.

20' We will bring you news of what happened to Toseland when we have it. Five-times champion Rossi comfortable at the front.

22' 2006 world champion Hayden pegged back by Chris Vermeulen and falls to sixth.

23' ROSSI PASSES STONER AND LEADS!!! Pedrosa battling to try and steal second off Stoner, but he is fought off. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a race.

25' Fiat Yamaha's Rossi with a smooth move to go second while Pedrosa is third and Edwards fourth. Lorenzo outside the top eight.

26' TOSELAND IS OFF!!! He exits the racetrack and that is the end of his grand prix!!

27' Casey Stoner, starting from third, now leads this French GP!!! Then come Pedrosa, Colin Edwards, Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden...

28' A great start for Briton Toseland, moving up to fourth as rookie hero Jorge Lorenzo drops off the pace! Pedrosa leads.

28' Under starter's orders... AND WE ARE OFF HERE IN LE MANS!!!

- Am I the only one wondering how these riders maintain concentration with all these cute girls on the track? Sorry to all the ladies following this coverage - I'm sure you feel the same about the riders.

- The rain that we witnessed in the lesser classes has disappeared for the main event.

- Welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE text coverage of the French MotoGP at the famous Le Mans circuit in France.