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Stoner wins in the rain to take British Grand Prix

Irish rider Eugene Laverty, left, crashes in front of Finnish rider Mika Kallio during the warm up session for the 250cc British Motorcycle Grand Prix at Donington Park, England, yesterday. PHOTO: EPA

Casey Stoner of Australia extended his overall world championship lead after claiming his fifth victory of the season at the 500cc British MotoGP yesterday.

Italian title rival and former world champion Valentino Rossi could not match the 21-year-old Ducati rider's speed on the slippery Donington circuit and finished in fourth place.

Stoner, 14 points clear before the weekend, now has 165 points to Rossi's 139.

Rossi's Yamaha team mate Colin Edwards was second, 11.768 seconds behind Stoner, with Australian Chris Vermeulen third for Suzuki.

Texan Edwards had started on pole position and Stoner's success maintained a season-long jinx for any rider starting in the top slot, with the last winner from pole dating back to Japan last September.

Last year's winner Dani Pedrosa of Spain finished eighth despite leading for the first four laps before Edwards took the lead which he held until mid-race when he took a bend too wide and was overtaken by Stoner.

Italy's Andrea Dovizioso won yesterday's 250cc Grand Prix at Donington to revive his title hopes after Spain's overall leader Jorge Lorenzo crashed.

The Honda rider was gifted the victory when San Marino's Alex de Angelis, leading from pole position in a race that started with a downpour, fell with two laps remaining.

De Angelis picked up his Aprilia and rejoined the race to take a distant second place, 22 seconds behind, with Japan's Hiroshi Aoyama third for KTM.

Champion Lorenzo, winner of five of the seven previous races, was running second when he was flipped off his Aprilia after 10 of the 27 laps.

The 20-year-old landed on his back on the asphalt before sliding into the gravel. He trudged off in disgust after his first retirement of the year.
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