Marco Melandri of Italy successfully defended his Moto GP title at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul on 30 April 2006, overtaking Australian Casey Stoner in the closing corners of the final lap to claim victory for the second consecutive year.
Stoner had appeared on course to become the youngest Moto GP race winner before yielding to Melandri's late charge. American Nicky Hayden crossed the line third. Qualifying had been disrupted by rain, though race day stayed dry. Surprise pole-sitter Chris Vermeulen quickly lost ground to Spain's Sete Gibernau, but both faded as Melandri, Stoner, Hayden, and Spain's Daniel Pedrosa took control in the second half.
Pedrosa led for four laps before Stoner and then Melandri moved ahead. Pedrosa ultimately crashed on the final lap, remounted, and finished 14th. Seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi ran a quiet race from 11th on the grid to finish fourth.
Hayden's podium result moved him into the championship lead by one point, displacing Italy's Loris Capirossi, who finished sixth.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in April 2006, in its own words.