Lorenzo claims Italian MotoGP

YAMAHA rider Jorge Lorenzo has won the Italian MotoGP with Casey Stoner eighth to fall further behind in his world title defence.

YAMAHA rider Jorge Lorenzo has won the Italian MotoGP with Casey Stoner eighth to fall further behind in his world title defence.

The Australian Honda rider remains third in the championship but is now 37 points behind leader Lorenzo at the halfway stage of the season.

Second at Mugello on Sunday was Stoner's team-mate Dani Pedrosa, who remains second in the standings, while Italian Andrea Dovizioso was third on another Yamaha.

It was Lorenzo's 43rd career success and he is now 19 points clear of fellow Spaniard Pedrosa, who won last weekend's German race.

"This black mamba helmet has brought me the luck I was missing at Assen (a fortnight ago when he crashed)," said Lorenzo, who was recording his fifth win of the season after a second place in Germany.

"We made no mistakes all weekend. The start was tough but little by little I gained confidence and then when I opened a little gap I was able to relax and I cruised after that."

Pedrosa too was delighted.

"We did a good job in the race but it was very difficult with Jorge going at that pace," said the 26-year-old.

Lorenzo had seized the lead on the second corner, coming up the inside of Pedrosa while Dovizioso stormed from seventh into third.

A lead group of five settled early on with Lorenzo leading Dovizioso with Pedrosa in third and German rookie Stefan Bradl in fourth with Nicky Hayden in fifth.

Stoner tried to make a move in passing Hector Barbera with just over 21 laps to go.

Pedrosa was desperately trying to pass Dovizioso to stop Lorenzo opening too much of a gap up front and managed to with 18 laps remaining but trailed his compatriot by over a second.

Valentino Rossi was charging a bit having started in a lowly 10th spot and passed 22-year-old Barbera as did Cal Crutchlow with 17 laps remaining as they zeroed in on trying to catch Stoner.

Stoner moved into fifth, past Hayden, with 14 laps to the finish and in pursuit of fourth spot which was occupied by Dovizioso as he had been overtaken by the impressive Bradl.

Stoner's rough past couple of races continued as he exited the track a lap later and onto the gravel but was able to regain the race, but having fallen five spots into 10th.

Up front, though, Stoner's team-mate Pedrosa had narrowed the gap on Lorenzo, but the latter effortlessly increased it within a lap as he went up a gear and with 10 laps of the race to go was almost two seconds ahead.

As Lorenzo sauntered to victory, Dovizioso reclaimed the final spot on the podium from Bradl with three laps remaining while Rossi seized fifth on the final lap from Hayden.

AFP