Australia’s Casey Stoner is looking to extend his lead in the MotoGP standings in tomorrow’s Czech Grand Prix in Brno and add one more success to his five victories in this year’s 10 races.

Bolstered by victory in the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca on July 24, before a three-week summer break, Honda rider Stoner will seek to repeat his only Brno win from 2007, the year in which he won his only World Championship title.

“I’m looking forward to Brno. It’s a circuit I’ve always enjoyed and I believe with the results we’ve had in the past years we can expect to have a good race there,” Stoner said.

But he will face tough competition from last year’s winner, Spanish Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo, second in the overall standings, on the 5.403-kilometre circuit about 180 kilometres southeast of the Czech capital Prague.

“The fact that it’s very fast and flowing has helped the Yamahas in the past seasons and I think Jorge will be strong there, so I will be watching for him,” said Stoner.

The Aussie, who came in third in Brno last year behind his team-mate Dani Pedrosa, is now on 193 points in the overall standings, 20 points ahead of champion Lorenzo.

“After the long break we are in Brno completely recharged and ready to fight and try to reduce the gap to Casey,” said Lorenzo, who has one 125cc and two 250cc titles from Brno.

Andrea Dovizioso, of Honda, is third overall, 30 points behind Lorenzo but with a solid advance on his team-mate Pedrosa, who completed the podium at the US GP.

Italian Ducati rider Valentino Rossi, fifth overall, is the rider with the best record in Brno with five MotoGP wins .

The Brno track was opened in 1987 to replace an old nearby circuit that became too dangerous.