MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi powered from fourth on the starting grid to take his first victory of the season in Spain on Sunday and open an 11-point lead at the top of the overall standings. The Yamaha rider slipped past early leader Dani Pedrosa with 10 laps left in front of the 120,000 crowd at the Jerez circuit and pulled away to finish the 27-lap race 2.7 seconds clear of the Spaniard's Honda.
Australian Casey Stoner was third for Ducati, the 2007 champion's first appearance on the podium at Jerez. Victory for Rossi, his first since Malaysia last October and his 72nd in the top category, handed the Italian the lead in the championship standings with 65 points after three rounds. Stoner, winner of last month's rain-delayed season-opener in Qatar, is second on 54 and Pedrosa tied for third with compatriot and Rossi's team mate Jorge Lorenzo on 41.
Lorenzo, who led the standings after his victory in Japan, slid off the track into the gravel with three laps left while attempting to haul in Stoner and was forced to abandon the race.