JORGE LORENZO won the battle of the Spaniards at the Catalunya Grand Prix as he held his nerve to steal victory from Dani Pedrosa who had led for much of the race.
The Yamaha rider, who started second on the grid, sat in Pedrosa's slipstream until six laps from home when he took advantage of the slightest of errors from his Honda rival. Lorenzo, who went into the race with an eight point lead in the championship standings, now has three victories from five races this season and has extended his lead to 20 points.
Having started fifth on the grid, it was Pedrosa who made early headway as he stormed to the front at the first corner. American Ben Spies briefly eyed his first podium finish of the year when he passed Pedrosa to take top spot in the second lap but his miserable start to 2012 continued when he spun out moments later. Spies, who has not finished higher than eighth in the previous four races this year, was able to continue but had to battle his way through the field for a 10th place finish.
Lorenzo briefly took the lead in the sixth lap when he moved through the inside of Pedrosa and the leading trio of Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso began to open up a gap ahead of Casey Stoner, who had lost early ground from pole position, and Briton Cal Crutchlow in a battle for fourth. With the front three pulling away, it was simply a case of what order they would finish on the podium and Pedrosa quickly piled the pressure on Lorenzo at the front.
The pressure finally told when the Honda rider passed in the 11th lap and an error from Lorenzo one lap later allowed Pedrosa to extend his lead and eye a first victory of the season. Lorenzo had other ideas though and fought back before the crucial moment came with just six laps to go. Pedrosa's front wheel briefly lifted into the air and Lorenzo seized the opportunity to pass.
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An error from Dovizioso in the 15th lap had seen the Yamaha rider drop back towards Stoner and Crutchlow who both saw a chance fill the final spot on the podium. But the positions were not to change and the Italian held onto third with Stoner fourth and Crutchlow fifth.
Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi tried his best to improve from his grid position of ninth but the Italian was unable to make much headway and finished in seventh behind Alvaro Bautista. Stefan Bradl, Nicky Hayden and Spies completed the top 10.