Pedrosa praises team's progress after win

The Spaniard took his fifth career victory, and second on home soil, when FIAT Yamaha team-mates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo couldn't close the gap to him at any stage in the race

"We didn't expect to win, but to have a victory this early in the season is very important," he told Italia1 television. "The only thing I can say is that I've been given lots of strength from my team.

"We've been patient while waiting for this moment by being calm and doing things one step at a time. It was a very important victory and the first one for me at Jerez. I'm very happy because the race was very tough and we did a good job."

Pedrosa took a decisive lead right at the start when he beat pole-man Lorenzo to the first corner and never looked back.

"I just try to start well," he said. "I don't get it perfect all the time but this time it went fairly well - not as well as in Qatar, but good enough.

"I think the crowd enjoyed the race because it was very exciting, so thank you to all the people that came here or enjoyed the race on television.

"In the end we got a good result and I'm very happy with the way the season is going. Everyone is still very close but I hope we can continue in this way."