MANILA, Philippines -- Honda rider Dani Pedrosa rode brilliantly in the Japanese Grand Prix at their home course in Twin Ring Motegi to win his third race of the year in the most action-packed race of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship. Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo was a distant second with Casey Stoner recovering from an early off-track excursion to finish an important third.

San Carlo Honda Grisini’s Marco Simoncelli and Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso were two of the riders swept up in the excitement. Both were seen jumping the start by race officials and both made miraculous comebacks after serving ride through penalties. They engaged in a fierce battle over the final third of the race with Simoncelli passing his fellow Italian on the penultimate lap to take fourth.

Stoner finished the day leading Lorenzo by 40 points, 300 to 260, with three races, including Stoner’s home grand prix at Phillip Island, remaining. Dovizioso holds 196 points, one more than Pedrosa.

The victory was an important one for Pedrosa and Honda, as well as the Japanese people, who were immensely grateful that the entire MotoGP field had supported their home race nearly seven months after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the region northeast of Motegi, and forced the postponement of the race from its original April date. The Japanese fans showed their appreciation with signs, flags, and T-shirts thanking those who attended the race.

It was also Pedrosa’s first MotoGP win at Motegi, to go along with victories in the 250cc and 125cc class.

The race began under cool, overcast skies with Stoner bolting into the lead as race officials determined that Simoncelli and Dovizioso, along with Cal Crutchlow, had jumped the start.

Dovi was in the lead at the end of the lap from Pedrosa and Lorenzo, and Simoncelli, but by now the riders had been informed that they had to serve their penalties, which they did ending the sixth lap.

Pedrosa set a new circuit record of 1:46.090 minutes on the 11th lap and, two laps later, Stoner moved into third with a pass of Suzuki’s Alvaro Bautista on the brakes into turn 11, the same corner where Stoner had earlier run off. Now Stoner was in a podium position, but 10 seconds behind Lorenzo and not entirely confident in his front brakes.

Bautista crashed soon, handing fourth to Dovizioso and fifth to Simoncelli. The rivals battled to the finish, with Simoncelli making his pass by sliding up the inside of Dovi at the end of the back straight on lap 23 of 24.

“I’m happy with this victory, for the team that has been working so well, for HRC, because this is the first win in Motegi with the Repsol Honda Team, and for myself, because it is the first time I’ve won here in MotoGP after doing so in 125cc and 250cc,” Pedrosa said after the race. (Edited by Anjo Perez)