Lorenzo hails perfect strategy

The Yamaha rider pulled away from the field in the damp early stages, and then stayed out until lap 12, later than almost every other rider, before pitting to switch to his dry weather bike.

"It was a very difficult race because I am not used to changing the bike in the middle of the race," said Lorenzo.

"This was the first time in my life. So I am completely grateful for this victory.

"I was fast with the wet tyre and also with the dry. But it was difficult because you had to change the bike at the right moment.

"If you changed one lap too late, you could lose the race. We changed at the right point and we won again."

The result makes Lorenzo the first man to win two races in the 2009 MotoGP season, and also thrusts him back into the championship lead, which he had lost to team-mate Valentino Rossi following his crash at Jerez. Lorenzo now heads Rossi and Ducati's Casey Stoner by one point after four rounds.