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Pedrosa seals maiden win in China
 Pedrosa is the most impressive newcomer since Valentino Rossi. SHANGHAI, China -- Dani Pedrosa continued the most impressive start to a MotoGP career since Valentino Rossi first appeared when he claimed his maiden victory at the China Grand Prix. The 20-year-old Spaniard led American team mate Nicky Hayden to a Honda one-two at the Shanghai international circuit. It was his first win in just his fourth race and ended a run of 12 successive victories for Italians. "I didnt expect to win here and the last 10 laps were very hard. I'm very happy and very surprised," said Pedrosa, who slammed his helmet with his fists in delight after crossing the line. Hayden was followed home by two compatriots with Colin Edwards rounding out the podium in third on his Yamaha and John Hopkins fourth for Suzuki. "I went as fast as I could but I just couldn't match his pace. I tried to put some heat on him but he never cracked," said Hayden, who has now finished eight successive races on the podium and leads the championship with 72 points. Italian Rossi raced his way through the field from 13th to fifth but was forced to retire four laps from the end when he lost a chunk of his front tyre and was watching from the pits when Pedrosa took the chequered flag. Australian Casey Stoner, runner up behind Pedrosa in the 250cc class last year, finished an impressive fifth despite going off the track on lap 15. Honda also took sixth and seventh in the shape of experienced Japanese Makoto Tamada and the first Italian, Marco Melandri. Loris Capirossi was eighth for Ducati but remained second in the championship behind Hayden with 59 points. Pedrosa moved up to third with 57 points while Melandri (54) and Stoner (52) are now also ahead of seven-times world champion Rossi (40). "This is very heavy for us because we are already 32 points behind," Rossi said. "Our rivals are very strong, particularly the (factory) Honda team who have a very good bike and very good riders." Pedrosa, who finished second in his first MotoGP race and was fighting it out for the lead when he fell on the last lap two weeks ago in Turkey, started from pole but was back in fifth after the first couple of laps. He had passed Stoner and compatriot Sete Gibernau by the end of lap four and swept imperiously by Hopkins and Edwards on the ninth lap to take a lead he never looked like relinquishing. "Hayden pressured me all the way. I was just focusing on my race, concentrating on trying to get the fastest time on every lap," added Pedrosa, who won the 125cc crown in 2003 before back-to-back titles in the 250cc class in the last two seasons. 
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