Monday, 20 August 2012:

Pole sitter Dani Pedrosa cruised to victory in Sunday's Indianapolis MotoGP, finishing nearly 11 seconds ahead of fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo.

Pedrosa, on a Honda, completed the 28-lap course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 49min 39.631sec, 10.823sec ahead of Yamaha's Lorenzo.

The 26-year-old claimed his 17th career Moto GP win while Lorenzo stayed on top of the world championship standings.

Yamaha's Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso finished third, 17.310sec behind Pedrosa.

"Early in the race I tried to open it up," said Pedrosa, who took the lead from American Ben Spies with 25 laps to go. "It was a good weekend, I think. The bike was working well.

"We were sliding all the way around the racetrack, but with a good feeling. I had good pace today. At the beginning, the race was tough because the pace was very high. So I had to keep concentration."

Pedrosa last won this race in 2010 and it was his first win from pole position since the 2010 San Marino Grand Prix.

"I hope I can continue like this to the end of the year," he said.

Spies, who had finished on the podium at Indianapolis the past two years, was in second place behind Pedrosa with 21 laps to go when his Yamaha began belching smoke and he had to drop out.

Spies's misfortune affected Pedrosa.

"I was leading," Pedrosa said, "and when I see this oil from Ben, I was into turn one and didn't know where to go for a few laps. And I had a mistake on turn two. But I was able to stay on two wheels and keep the rhythm."

Last year's winner Casey Stoner of Australia finished fourth at 19.803.

Stoner, the reigning world champion, who plans to retire at the end of the season, was riding with special footwear after suffering torn ligaments and a fractured right ankle in Saturday's qualifying round.

AAP