Lorenzo wins as Rossi and Stoner crash in Jerez

The reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo was handed victory at his home MotoGP race on a dramatic wet afternoon in Spain in which the former world champions Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner crashed.

Lorenzo, riding for Yamaha, was able to ease away to a comfortable victory at Jerez after Rossi crashed into Stoner after an ill-advised overtaking manoeuvre at the end of lap six.

The Ducati rider Rossi had stormed through the pack after starting the race in 12th place as he used all his experience and was able to continue but the collision ended the Repsol Honda rider Stoner’s race.

Marco Simoncelli then looked set to win his maiden MotoGP race as he was left in the lead but he also crashed out to hand Lorenzo the win and the overall lead in the standings.

Stoner’s team-mate Dani Pedrosa made it a one-two for Spain with Nicky Hayden third and Hiroshi Aoyama fourth. Rossi eventually came home in fifth place while Britain’s Cal Crutchlow was eighth after crashing late on.

The field started with full wet tyres on a damp track in light rain and Rossi put his wet weather skills to good effect as he made up four places on the opening lap. Pedrosa went the other way and was down in 10th place as Rossi moved into sixth at the end of lap two.

The Italian was soon up into fourth and setting the fastest lap of the race as he continued to carve through the field while Simoncelli mounted a challenge as he passed Lorenzo and Stoner to take the lead. Rossi then moved past Lorenzo to take third as the rain eased off before he dived up the inside of Stoner into turn one at the start of lap seven.

But the nine-time champion lost the front end of his Ducati and took Stoner down with him into the gravel trap, and while Rossi was able to remount his bike and continue the Australian’s race was over.

That left Simoncelli with a clear advantage over Lorenzo, with Rossi’s team-mate Hayden promoted to third place.

Simoncelli had a huge lead but crashed out at the same corner as Rossi when he high-sided his Gresini Honda and was forced to retire. That left Lorenzo in the clear ahead of compatriot Pedrosa as the rain returned and a host of riders crashed out.

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