Australian Honda rider Casey Stoner won Saturday’s Dutch MotoGP after a terrific battle with Spain’s Dani Pedrosa, also on a Honda.

Stoner started on pole but soon found himself behind Pedrosa before retaking the lead with nine laps remaining and surging clear to win by a comfortable margin.

Italy’s Andrea Dovizioso finished third ahead of Ben Spies, the American who won the Dutch MotoGP race last year.

However the race was overshadowed by an early crash involving Alvaro Bautista and Jorge Lorenzo that forced the world championship leader out of the race and denied him the chance of a fourth successive victory.

Stoner’s win takes him level with Lorenzo atop the overall standings.