Jorge Lorenzo moved to the top of the MotoGP World Championship standings after the second round at Jerez with a victory that delighted the home Spanish crowd, with Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) making it a Spanish one-two after a pulsating end to the race. Lorenzo’s Fiat Yamaha team-mate and defending World Champion Valentino Rossi placed third to maintain his early season quest for the 2010 title, and now lies in second place in the standings.

A rapid start to the race saw pole holder Pedrosa lead into Turn1, with Rossi rising from fourth on the grid to follow the Spaniard and Hayden also shooting up from the second row as the riders all battled for early positions.

On the third lap Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) crashed out and shortly after Aleix Espargaró also fell. The Pramac Racing rider managed to return to the track however, but Capirossi’s race was finished, and on lap eight Ben Spies (Monster Yamaha Tech3) pitted and retired with a front tyre problem on his M1 machine when competing inside the top ten.

As the midway point of the race approached Pedrosa was leading well at a second-and-a-half ahead of Rossi, with Lorenzo a further two seconds back. The fight for seventh place was a close one, with San Carlo Honda Gresini team-mates Marco Melandri and Marco Simoncelli battling one another amongst a group of five riders.

At the same time Lorenzo was closing the gap on Rossi and on lap 21 passed his team-mate, and turned his focus to hunting down Pedrosa. From there a superb duel developed between the two Spaniards.

With two laps to go Lorenzo caught up with the factory Honda rider and made his move to pass, but Pedrosa held his line and the two almost touched as the excitement continued to increase.

And so it came down to the last lap and as Pedrosa pushed it wide at the Dry Sack corner Lorenzo swept through to assume the lead, which he held to ensure he received his reward for a fantastic ride. Crossing the line the Fiat Yamaha rider was 0.543s ahead of Pedrosa, with Rossi placing third to complete the podium.

Completing the top five were Ducati Marlboro riders Nicky Hayden, who repeated his fourth spot from Qatar, and Casey Stoner, with Andrea Dovizioso taking sixth place.

Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) completed an impressive rise from last place on the grid to take seventh, with Melandri, Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda) and Álvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) also placing inside the top ten.