Stoner dominates Qatar GP
Casey Stoner started his defense of his MotoGP title in the best possible way by winning the Grand Prix of Qatar in dominant fashion
The Ducati Marlboro rider had a quiet start from fourth place of this first ever night world motorcycling race, and kept position until one third of the race through.
But within a single lap, the eighth, the Australian overtook first Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa, and then the Fiat Yamahas of Jorge Lorenzo for second and Valentino Rossi's one for the lead.
Only rookie Lorenzo, after passing team leader Rossi for second, managed to stay with Stoner. But the reigning champion put in a string of blistering laps and started opening a gap on lap 15, and by the end of the race said gap widened to 5.3 seconds.
Third place was taken by Pedrosa, who managed to take the position from Rossi on lap 14 after challenging the Italian for five laps. The Spaniard ultimately finished five seconds behind Lorenzo and two and a half ahead of Rossi.
In the same Pedrosa-Rossi pack were debutants Andrea Dovizioso on a JiR Team Scot Honda, and Superbike champion James Toseland on a Tech 3 Yamaha.
The young Italian first challenged Rossi with three laps to go, with the two exchanging positions but the veteran coming up on top.
But that didn't stop the rookie from giving his all on the last lap, when positions were swapped three times and the Honda privateer beating the works Yamaha by less than two hundredths at the flag.
Toseland finished the race right behind Rossi in an impressive sixth place, with teammate Colin Edwards ending one second further back in seventh.
Loris Capirossi's debut for Rizla Suzuki was not the happiest, with the Italian having to settle for a distant eighth, over half a minute behind the winner.
Randy de Puniet on the LCR Honda finished ninth, ahead of the other works Honda of Nicky Hayden in tenth.
Marco Melandri in the works Ducati ended the race in a disappointing eleventh place, 44 seconds behind his winning teammate.
The top Kawasaki was John Hopkins's finishing in 12th place.
Rookie Alex de Angelis was the only non-finisher in the race, when with five laps to go he crashed in the gravel from 10th place and his Gresini Honda almost rolled over him.
Classified Pos Rider Make Time 1. Casey Stoner Ducati 42:36.587 2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha + 5.323 3. Daniel Pedrosa Honda + 10.600 4. Andrea Dovizioso Honda + 13.288 5. Valentino Rossi Yamaha + 13.305 6. James Toseland Yamaha + 14.040 7. Colin Edwards Yamaha + 15.150 8. Loris Capirossi Suzuki + 32.505 9. Randy de Puniet Honda + 33.003 10. Nicky Hayden Honda + 38.354 11. Marco Melandri Ducati + 44.284 12. John Hopkins Kawasaki + 49.857 13. Shinya Nakano Honda + 49.871 14. Toni Elias Ducati + 58.532 15. Sylvain Guintoli Ducati + 58.930 16. Anthony West Kawasaki +1:05.643 17. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki + 1 Lap Not classified: Rider Make On lap Alex de Angelis Honda 16 Fastest lap: Stoner, 1:55.153 on lap 14
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