Australian Casey Stoner took another huge stride towards the MotoGP title by winning a wet British Grand Prix on Sunday for his fifth victory in eight races.

Italian title rival and former world champion Valentino Rossi [Images] could not match the 21-year-old Ducati rider's speed on the slippery Donington circuit and finished off the podium in fourth place.

Stoner, 14 points clear before the weekend, now has 165 points to Rossi's 139.

Rossi's Yamaha team mate Colin Edwards was second, 11.768 seconds behind Stoner, with Australian Chris Vermeulen third for Suzuki.

Texan Edwards had started on pole position and Stoner's success maintained a season-long jinx for any rider starting in the top slot, with the last winner from pole dating back to Japan [Images] last September.