Lorenzo win puts Pedrosa in shade

The Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo was the runaway winner of the Catalan MotoGP yesterday, a third consecutive victory extending his world championship lead.

The Yamaha rider finished almost five seconds ahead of compatriot and title rival Dani Pedrosa, who held off Australia's Casey Stoner to take second place by two tenths of a second.

"It was a very difficult race, very hot, and very tiring. The tyres were a real problem," Lorenzo said. "Andrea [Dovizioso] was pushing hard and I thought it was going to be like that all the way – but he fell, which made it easier."

It was Pedrosa who made the best start, fying from fourth to first going into the opening bend, but he washed wide and dropped back. He recovered and was back up to third within five laps, though some distance behind Dovizioso and Lorenzo.

Dovizioso was right on Lorenzo's tail when he slid off with 11 laps left, leaving Pedrosa and Stoner to battle for second. The Ducati rider pressured Pedrosa over the final laps but was unable to find a way through.