Jorge Lorenzo claimed victory in the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in the MotoGP World Championship.

The Fiat Yamaha rider inherited the lead when Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa crashed out on lap 11 and held station to the flag to open up a 72-point advantage over Pedrosa in the riders’ standings.

Second place went to Ducati’s Casey Stoner while Lorenzo’s team-mate Valentino Rossi claimed the final podium place in just his second race back after breaking his leg seven weeks ago.

Victory moves Lorenzo onto 210 points, with Pedrosa second on 138 and his Honda team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, who finished fourth today, in third on 115.Lorenzo’s sixth win of the year came despite the Spaniard losing the lead off the start having lined up on pole.

Pedrosa made a superb getaway from fourth on the grid to hit the front as Lorenzo settled into an early third place behind Stoner.

Lorenzo overhauled the Australian on lap five and was hot on the heels of Pedrosa when his compatriot lost control on the entry to Turn Five and finished his afternoon in the gravel trap with his bike destroyed against the tyre barrier.

That left Lorenzo with an unchallenged ride to the flag, the Yamaha rider leading home Stoner by a comfortable three and a half seconds with Rossi a further 10 seconds back in third.

Rossi was made to work for his podium finish, however, the Italian engaged in a race-long tussle with Dovizioso before finally completing a gutsy pass on his rival with seven laps remaining.

Rossi’s podium came at a cost, however, with the nine-time world champion admitting he is still feeling pain from both his damaged leg and a shoulder injury.

“The pain is very bad,” Rossi said. “I am painful everywhere and I definitely need time to recover some more.

“This track is such a difficult one on the body - one of the most difficult ones in the championship. My left side - I had to push using my left because I have no force on my right - is finished.

“It’s a great result for me and so important for me to be on the podium in such a short time.

“I have to say thank you to the team and everyone that has helped me be here.”

The second Ducati of Nicky Hayden came home in fifth place while another American, Tech 3 Yamaha’s Ben Spies, was sixth.

Spies’ team-mate Colin Edwards was seventh ahead of Marco Melandri (Gresini Honda), while Loris Capirossi (Suzuki) and Mika Kallio (Pramac Ducati) completed the top 10.