Motegi MotoGP saw Stoner rule the track, he has ended his winless streak with a dominant display in the inaugural Motorland Aragon race in Spain last month.
And he was untouchable at the Twin Ring Motegi this afternoon, the 24-year-old leading from the first corner to take a fourth win for Ducati in Honda and Yamaha’s backyard.
Andrea Dovizioso, who had claimed his career first MotoGP pole position yesterday, looked like claiming the holeshot before Stoner steered his factory Ducati GP10 into the lead on the brakes at turn one.
The 24-lap race quickly developed into a two-horse race between Stoner and Repsol Honda rider Dovizioso at the front with Fiat Yamaha duo Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo locked in their own enthralling scrap for third.
Stoner quickly established a comfortable lead of 0.666s by lap five as Dovizioso initially struggled to match the 2007 world champion’s early pace.
The Italian closed the gap to 0.446s on lap nine but ten laps later and his brave resistance was finally broken.
Stoner had clearly got plenty in reserve and on lap 19 he pulled 1.377s clear and his winning margin at the end was a massive 3.868s.
With Stoner claiming his second successive win in relatively comfortable fashion, over five seconds further back came an epic tussle between Rossi and Lorenzo, reminiscent of their pulsating battles in 2009.
Stoner will join Honda in 2011.
Video - Rossi V Lorenzo.
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