Dani Pedrosa on the Honda won his home Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez from Yamaha Factory pair Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.

Britain's James Toseland battled from eighth on the grid to finish sixth, although the Yamaha Tech 3 rider was passed on the last corner by Suzuki's Loris Capirossi.

Nicky Hayden ended the race in a comfortable fourth on his Honda while reigning world champion Casey Stoner - winner in Qatar but struggling this week on his Ducati - went into the gravel twice and finished 11th.

Kawasaki's John Hopkins managed an improved seventh position after 12th in Qatar, passing Honda's Andrea Dovizioso, who was as high as fifth with only five laps to go.

Pole-sitter Lorenzo, the rookie who also won pole and finished second in Qatar, did not get away cleanly and Pedrosa took over at the front with Hayden up one place to third and Stoner, who began down in seventh, finding room to move fourth.

Colin Edwards dropped from the front row to fifth while one lap in Rossi shot past Stoner to claim fourth. The Australian's outlook worsened further on the next lap when he went wide and into the gravel, rejoining in last.

Rossi wasted no time in moving up into second, the only Bridgestone rider to occupy the top few places.

Edwards crashed out while his Tech 3 team-mate Toseland maintained position in eighth. After that there were a few laps of calm, with little changing in position as the competitors sought to establish themselves without taking unnecessary risks.

Pedrosa was comfortable in first while four seconds back Rossi held off Lorenzo and Hayden lurked behind both of them. There were 14 seconds difference with the rest of the field as Toseland battled into seventh past Chris Vermuelen and Dovizioso went fifth ahead of Capirossi.

With five laps remaining Hopkins, who had begun to rise though the field, also passed Vermuelen for eighth as Stoner ran off again.

Capirossi and Toseland took advantage of a mistake by Dovizioso and promptly engaged in their own war for fifth.

On the final lap Pedrosa coasted home to acclaim from the partisan Jerez crowds and Toseland snatched fifth from Capirossi; however the Italian refused to give up and moved back ahead of the Briton at the last.

Pedrosa leads the riders' standing after two races with 41 points from Lorenzo (36) and Rossi (31). Stoner has 30, Dovizioso 21 and Toseland 20.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport