Pictures: 'Hell at the first corner'.

"I made a great start and that put me in front. That was very important because behind me hell arrived at the first corner!" - that was Valentino Rossi's description of the turn one mayhem which eliminated no less than six riders, three of whom required medical attention, from Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

Third on the grid Rossi out-dragged fellow front row starters John Hopkins and Makoto Tamada into the right hand first turn but, while Rossi and Tamada emerged from it unharmed and would go on to dominate the race, Hopkins and five others wouldn't get beyond the apex...

The accident was triggered when Ducati's Loris Capirossi - who started from the third row of the grid - got yet another superb getaway, but this time appeared to leave his braking too late and was travelling too fast to make the corner.

Indeed, witnesses at the scene believe Capirossi was already crashing when he struck the back of Hopkins' GSV-R, then lying in second place, sending the Anglo-American somersaulting through the air and setting off a chain reaction that also claimed the second Suzuki of Kenny Roberts Jr, plus Honda riders Colin Edwards, Max Biaggi and Nicky Hayden.

"I don't know what happened, I just found myself on the ground," said Loris, who suffered slight concussion and two bone fractures to his right foot, in the Clinica Mobile afterwards. "It was a pity, but that's racing and these things can happen... This is a strange track and last year there was also a crash involving 4 or 5 riders."

The 2003 incident had been triggered by a similar out-braking mistake from Hopkins. The then 20-year-old had immediately accepted the blame afterwards and - although no rider was injured - was promptly banned from the following race for 'dangerous riding'... As yet, there has been no announcement that the same penalty is even being considered for Capirossi.

Nevertheless, Hopkins - who was left with two broken ribs and a deep laceration after the impact with the Italian - sought no form of 'revenge' and even felt the accident was some form of 'pay back' for his own 2003 error.

"Word's can't express my disappointment. I guess it's some kind of payback. Last year I took out some riders in the same place and this year I got taken out," said John. "It sucks, but I'm just hoping it will not affect Qatar. I've broken some ribs, but I hope I can make the race. I was running into the corner in second right behind Rossi. I had no warning it felt like a freight train hitting me."

At first, it was thought that Hopkins was the worst injured, but when the dust settled it was his team-mate Roberts - who'd been collected in the mayhem that followed the initial contact - who came off worse, suffering a dislocated left elbow and burns to his right side. He will definitely be out of the next round, the Qatar GP in two weeks.

"I don't know if I got a good start or a bad start but it was the wrong start!" said Kenny with a half smile. "A couple of guys got into each other and caused a chain reaction. I think I got taken out by Biaggi, but my left arm got stuck between his rear wheel and some part of the chassis. It pulled me into the bike and I burned my neck a little bit and my right arm on his exhaust pipe.

"When I pulled my arm out, I couldn't bend my elbow but I could twist my arm and my hand, with pain, so at least I knew there wasn't nerve damage. I ran to the inside of the track because I knew I'd get to the medical centre faster. Colin (Edwards) helped me get my gloves off and I came to the clinic. They took the X-ray and put my arm back in probably 15 seconds. It really hurt going in and it really hurts now.

"The left side of my body is in pain from the dislocation and the right side from being burned so I have quite a different set of circumstances. Other than that, I'm basically fine. My crash was quite slow, but these things happen. I hope all the other riders are okay. We'll wait until I'm feeling 100 percent, and continue from there," concluded the 2000 world champion.

Fortunately, Biaggi, Edwards and Hayden were all uninjured - although the Roman, who tangled with Capirossi on lap one of the Portuguese Grand Prix two weeks ago, has now seen his previously slim world championship hopes all but disappear.

"I got away quite well, but as I turned into the first bend, I saw a Ducati and another bike crossing the track in the opposite direction to that which it goes," recalled Max, now 79-points behind Rossi and 32 from Sete Gibernau.

"I felt a big smack on the side and I saw Hopkins flying, but I was still upright," continued the Camel Honda rider. "I ended up in the sand and then another bike fell right in front of me and that's when I finally went down. It's what I didn't want, I'm so disappointed because today I could have done a great race."

Hayden, riding with a still healing broken collarbone, was also fortunate to avoid injury - the Repsol Honda rider being left unsighted by the dust and debris ahead, causing him to run off track and into one of the many fallen machines.

"In the first turn it was carnage. I didn't see what happened. I just picked it up to avoid a bike and ran into the dirt. There was so much dust I couldn't see a thing," said Nicky. "I was nearly stopped then ran into a bike and put my bad leg down and just keeled over. It's definitely frustrating but I guess these things happen especially in Turn 1. There are so many fast guys out there all going for it."

For Edwards, riding with a new Honda chassis for the first time, the incident was particularly unlucky - he'd also been taken out in the 2003 turn one accident and this year felt he had a chance of repeating his so far one and only MotoGP podium, from Donington Park.

"It was a real shame because the bike was perfect and I felt really good here. I think I could have fought for the podium but what can you do?" shrugged the Texan, who'd qualified fifth. "I got hit by Capirossi... this is racing and the same thing happened last year when I got hit by Hopkins at turn one. But the Japanese should be happy with two riders on the podium."

Those two Japanese riders were race winner Tamada and third placed Shinya Nakano, who claimed Kawasaki's first ever MotoGP podium. Rossi was second to increase his world championship lead to 39-points with four rounds remaining.

To see all 26 pictures - covering the turn one incident from start to finish -click here.