Jorge Lorenzo celebrates his superb victory in the Italian MotoGP at Mugello.
CNN  — 

Spain’s Jorge Lorenzo dominated from start to finish to claim his third straight MotoGP win as he took the Italian round at the Tuscan circuit of Mugello Sunday.

The Movistar Yamaha rider finished nearly six seconds clear of pole sitter Andrea Iannone of Italy on a Ducati with home legend Valentino Rossi in third place.

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez crashed out on his Honda while challenging Iannone for second, having made a dramatic charge through the field.

Lorenzo’s teammate Rossi still leads him by six points in the title race, despite his hat-trick of triumphs, the fourth time the 28-year-old has achieved that feat.

Read: Rejuvenated Lorenzo on a roll

“I’m very happy, because I didn’t expect to escape with such a big margin, but sometimes it happens that you feel great on the bike,” he told the official MotoGP website.

It was his 36th MotoGP career win and he now has serious designs on a third world title. “It seems that this year could be our year, so we have to take advantage of it,” he added.

Rossi delighted the partisan home crowd by making the podium, but is aware that if he is to claim a 10th world title he will have to withstand the challenge of his teammate.

“I think we have to improve, especially with Jorge being very strong, he is in a great shape and to match his level we need to be more competitive,” he said.

Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa finished a battling fourth, with Britain’s Bradley Smith in fifth after compatriot Cal Crutchlow crashed out in the later stages and had to be treated in the medical center, although later given the all-clear.

Esteve Rabat of Spain won the Moto 2 race, with Portugal’s Miguel Oliveira taking the Moto 3 honors.

Watch: Marquez targets more MotoGP titles