Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner took a dominant win at the Catalunya Grand Prix, showing that even if he had failed to take pole, he had been on top of every practice sessions.

It was Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) who took control of the race at the start, moving from third on the grid but it seems that his early speed would not last long as Stoner took back command of the Catalunyan Grand Prix before the end of the first lap.

One in the lead for good, the Australian was never to be threatened again, and soon enough it became somewhat more of a processional race than actually a hard fought battle.

As Stoner and Lorenzo settle into their respective and final positions, Ben Spies got up to third at the start and stayed there to take his first podium as a factory Yamaha MotoGP rider.

Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) and Valentino Rossi (Ducati) had yet another side by side battle early on before settling into formation and chasing the American to the flag.

Polesitter Marco Simoncelli (Honda) found himself in seventh on the first lap, and only managed to regain one place. He caught the Dovizioso/Rossi battle for a while before drifting away again.

MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix – Results
Pos Rider Team/Bike Time/Gap
1. Casey Stoner Honda 43m19.779s
2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha + 2.403s
3. Ben Spies Yamaha + 4.291s
4. Andrea Dovizioso Honda + 5.255s
5. Valentino Rossi Ducati + 7.371s
6. Marco Simoncelli Gresini Honda + 11.831s
7. Cal Crutchlow Tech 3 Yamaha + 26.483s
8. Nicky Hayden Ducati + 33.243s
9. Loris Capirossi Pramac Ducati + 43.092s
10. Karel Abraham Cardion Ducati + 43.113s
11. Hector Barbera Aspar Ducati + 44.224s
12. Alvaro Bautista Suzuki + 45.239s
13. Toni Elias LCR Honda + 58.268s

Retirements:

Randy de Puniet Pramac Ducati 3 laps
Hiroshi Aoyama Gresini Honda 3 laps