Bridgestone motorsport wrap for 31st March 2008
Pedrosa reigns in Spain to take title lead
Dani Pedrosa has taken the lead in the MotoGP Championship after riding to victory in the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.
Pedrosa set the fastest ever race time at the Jerez track, taking just 45 minutes and 35 seconds to complete the 27-lap journey.
Yamaha's Valentino Rossi was the first Bridgestone rider home. His second place result also marks his and Yamaha's first ever podium result on Bridgestone tyres in only the second race of their partnership.
"This second place is a very important result for us. We have worked well on the bike and with Bridgestone this weekend," Rossi said.
"After the warm-up this morning we made some final modifications which gave me more feeling and the result is the first podium for us with Bridgestone tyres so it has definitely been important."
It wasn't a good race for defending world champion Casey Stoner. The Ducati rider made a good start to jump from seventh to third after the first lap but then went off the track on lap four.
The Australian pushed his Bridgestone tyres hard to get back with the leading group but eventually had to be satisfied with 11th place.
Pedrosa now leads the championship on 41 points, five clear of Jorge Lorenzo. Stoner is in fourth place, 11 points behind the leader as the teams head to Estoril for the Portuguese Grand Prix in two weeks time.