Motorsport: Pedrosa wins Japan MotoGP

Spaniard Dani Pedrosa won the Japan MotoGP on Sunday to claim his third race of the season as Australian Casey Stoner had to settle for third.

Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa crossed the finish line with a time of 42 minutes, 47.481 seconds to finish 7.299 seconds ahead of compatriot and 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo.

Stoner, who started on pole, was third, 18.380 seconds behind Pedrosa.

With three races to go, Stoner retains the championship lead with 300 points,followed by Lorenzo on 260 and Andrea Dovizioso, who finished fifth in Sunday's race, on 196 points.

Ducati rider and nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi crashed out on the first lap of Sunday's race.

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Rossi was one of several riders who considered skipping the Japan Grand Prix because of concerns after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that triggered a radiation leakage from a damaged nuclear power plant.

Twin Ring Motegi is 149km from the Fukushima-Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which leaked radiation after being severely damaged.

Sunday's race was originally scheduled for April, but was postponed after the disaster in March.

Andrea Iannone of Italy took his third Moto2 win of the season while Johann Zarco of France claimed the first grand prix win of his career in the 125cc event.

- AAP