Italian seven-time former world champion Valentino Rossi won his home Grand Prix at Mugello for the seventh time in a row riding a Yamaha.

Australian reigning world champion Casey Stoner took second place for Ducati with Spaniard Dani Pedrosa third on a Honda.

Pole-sitter Rossi dropped to fourth by the first bend after a slow start but he needed only four laps to reclaim the lead with a brilliant manoeuvre to overtake Stoner.

Ducati rider Stoner jumped from fourth on the grid to second by the first bend and he used his greater straight line speed at the end of the first lap to breeze past Pedrosa.

However, he could do nothing about the master of Mugello, Rossi, who quickly regained the lead and once there he never looked in any trouble.

It's now three Grand Prix wins in a row for Rossi this season and he opened up his world championship lead over Pedrosa to 12 points.

Stoner is fourth behind Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo who crashed out.

AFP