World champion Jorge Lorenzo paved his position as this year's leading MotoGP rider with victory in the Portuguese GP at Estoril, the penultimate race of 2010.The Spaniard beat seven-time world champion and Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi into second place, with Rossi's fellow-Italian Andrea Doviziozo taking third.
The victory means 23-year-old Lorenzo has now won at Estoril for three years in series. Lorenzo started the race from pole position, after Saturday's qualifying session was rained off and -- subsequent an early battle for supremecy with Rossi -- he finally took the lead on a permanent basis on the 17th lap of the 28-lap race to secure his eighth success of an impressive season.
Marco Simoncelli ended fourth, missing out on a first-ever podium place by a mere 0.059 seconds. American Nicky Hayden came home fifth while Randy de Puniet and Colin Edwards finished the top seven.
Dani Pedrosa, who made his return to action after lost three races through injury, finished eighth on his Honda. Meanwhile, Ducati rider Casey Stoner suffered the disappointment of crashing out on lap five while in third position.
The 2010 MotoGP season ends in Valencia next weekend with the battle for the runner-up spot in the championship after Lorenzo still up for grabs. Pedrosa is on 236 points with Rossi on 217 -- with nobody else now able to take second place.
