Canberra, Oct 17 (IANS): Honda rider Casey Stoner has celebrated his 26th birthday by claiming the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix (GP), his fifth in a row, and with it his second world championship at Phillip Island in Melbourne.

The Australian Sunday cruised to victory by 2.21 seconds ahead of Italian Honda rider Marco Simoncelli with his compatriot Andrea Dovizioso, reports Xinhua. "I don't think I can fit too many more things in this today," Stoner told reporters in Melbourne Monday.

"It was my birthday, it was my fifth win in a row here, my second world championship, my home grand prix.

"Everything - to win like this is something really special. It's been pretty much a dream season for us, everything's gone really well. We've had a few ups and downs, but the downs haven't been too far down and the ups have been right up there."

Jorge Lorenzo was the only rider to get within half a second of Stoner during Saturday's qualifying. However, during Sunday's race, Lorenzo was tossed from his bike as he pushed through turn 12 landing heavily and losing part of the ring finger of his left hand. The Spaniard was transported to the medical centre and rushed to Melbourne for plastic surgery.

His withdrawal virtually handed the title to Stoner.

"When I saw Jorge's crash I thought it was just a small crash," Stoner said.

"I thought it might be just a small graze or something like that.

"Then I saw the replay and saw what actually happened and everyone was out there looking for the end of his finger.

"And it sort of made me feel a little bit sick because I'm a racer, I know what it's like to go through these things and you can't really wish them upon anyone."

Australian MotoGP is round 16 of the MotoGP World Championship.