MotoGP: Lorenzo rules in San Marino

Italy's seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi finished fourth on a Yamaha.u00a0Lorenzo's 49th career win, and 28th in the sport's premier category, allowed him to pull level in the championship race with second-placed Pedrosa.

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo negotiates a turn during the San Marino MotoGP yesterday. Pic/AFP

Both now have a deficit of 34 points to Marquez with five races remaining.u00a0A fortnight after claiming victory at Silverstone, he said it is crucial to be fighting in every event. "It is important to win, because we don't lose points but we have only recovered five points, so it is the same as Silverstone," said the Spaniard.

"It doesn't make a big difference to the championship. But I'm very happy for this victory, because we struggled a lot during the weekend especially on
braking."u00a0

Lorenzo came to the Italian circuit hoping to make it three in a row and declaring he was fighting fit following a crash in June and subsequent surgery on a broken collarbone.

And he let Marquez know of his intentions from the outset, powering his Yamaha from second place on the grid behind his fellow Spaniard into first place on the opening lap.u00a0