18 May 2009

Lorenzo leads the overall standings

6:03 am on 18 May 2009

Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo benefited from changing track conditions to win the French MotoGP Grand Prix and take the lead in the overall standings.

The 22-year-old, riding a Yamaha, finished 17.710 seconds clear of Italy's Marco Melandri on his Kawasaki. Spain's Dani Pedrosa was third, 19.893 seconds behind Lorenzo after starting from pole position on his Honda.

His second win in four races this season put Lorenzo on top of the championship standings with 66 points, one point ahead of fellow Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi and Australia's Casey Stoner, who finished fifth on his Ducati.