Motorcycling: Lorenzo set for record after Portuguese win

MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo won the Portuguese Grand Prix from pole position for the third year in a row yesterday after a battle with his Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi.

Outgoing champion Rossi led the early part of the race, despite Spaniard Lorenzo taking the top slot on the grid after a rain-hit qualifying, but was passed by his team-mate after 17 of the 28 laps at Estoril.

Lorenzo, who won the title in Malaysia last month, powered away to take his first race win since the Czech Grand Prix in August and eighth of the season by an 8.629sec margin. Honda's Andrea Dovizioso finished third behind Rossi. Casey Stoner crashed out after four laps.

With one race remaining, Lorenzo has an unassailable 358 points and is on course to overhaul Rossi's 2008 record tally of 373 in a single season.