Fiat Yamaha Team's Valentino Rossi (Photo: Yamaha Racing) » More Photos

Going into this race Pedrosa was joint leader of the championship with Lorenzo but second place gives him the outright lead on 81 points.

“With four laps to go I decided to take the 20 points for second, I did not want to damage my motor which was over-revving,” Pedrosa said. “I was expecting a wet race so to get second today is fantastic.”

Stoner was clearly disappointed with his third place. His practice pace had been faster.

“Early in the race I was struggling to stay with Colin Edwards but then he ran wide. Even with a better tire choice I could not have won, but I’m a bit surprised to be this far back,” Stoner said.

Lorenzo celebrated his 21st birthday by ignoring the pain of an ankle fracture and heavy bruising he charged from ninth to fourth, a result that keeps his rookie championship hopes alive.

“Without doubt this result is like a victory for me,” Lorenzo said. “After my crash on Friday I couldn’t imagine that I could ride, but once the fuel load came down I began to enjoy myself and today I did more overtaking than in any race this season.”

After four rounds Rossi’s win takes him to third in the standings with 72 points, just two points out second place held by Lorenzo on 74 with Stoner fourth on 56.

Hayden’s sixth place came after a strong start from tenth on the grid and a long battle with the group of Melandri, Dovizioso, Edwards and Lorenzo.

“Starting tenth was never going to be easy and even with a good start I wasn’t able to go with the lead group,” Hayden said. “Mid-race race I had few problems and my speed in the long corners wasn’t good but I changed my lines and the traction control setting and got going at the end.”

Polesitter Colin Edwards was out of contention by lap five when he ran wide under brakes at the hairpin and the Texan finished seventh, again missing a chance at his first MotoGP victory.

“I rode as hard as I could and I’m tired of saying it but I could not do anything else,” Edwards said. “We just missed something in the package today but at the end of the day I made a mistake. But I still wasn’t going to be on the podium. It just wasn’t going to happen today.”

Kawasaki rider John Hopkins finished 14th in his 100th grand prix start and it will surely be a race he will want to forget. Hopkins made a bold early move from the fifth row but was 17th at the end of lap one, suffering a puncture wound in his knee after a coming together with Alex de Angelis.

“Maybe our tire choice wasn't the best because of the weather and I struggled from the start with rear traction problems,” Hopkins said. “I’m very disappointed it’s not the result I wanted.”