World champion Casey Stoner delighted his home fans with a dominant victory in the Australian MotoGP on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Australian started third on the grid but he surged into the lead on the first lap and never lost it, easing to his ninth victory of the season ahead of his Ducati team mate Loris Capirossi and Yamaha's Valentino Rossi [Images].

Stoner, who clinched his first world title in Japan [Images] last month, became the first home winner of the Australian Grand Prix since Mick Doohan in 1998.

Earlier, Czech Lukas Pesek won a thrilling 125cc race in which the first five riders were separated by less than a second on Sunday.

Pesek clocked a time of 38 minutes 3.020 seconds on his Derbi to edge out Spain's Joan Olive with Spaniard Hector Faubel third.

World championship leader Gabor Talmacsi of Hungary finished only eighth, allowing Faubel to close to within one point of his fellow Aprilia rider at the top of the standings with two races left.

Spain's Jorge Lorenzo continued his domination of the 250cc category, easing to his ninth victory of the season by nearly 20 seconds ahead of compatriot Alvaro Bautista.

Andrea Dovizioso was third but Lorenzo extended his lead over the Italian at the top of the world championship standings to 45 points and needs just six more from the last two races to retain his title.