Casey Stoner proves too slick for Valentino Rossi in Qatar MotoGP

April 14, 2009

Australian 2007 World MotoGP champion Casey Stoner has started the new season in style, storming to his third successive Qatar Grand Prix victory.

Torrential rain delayed the desert showdown by 24 hours but it didn't slow Stoner, who eased home on his Ducati ahead of 2008 reigning champion Valentino Rossi on a Yamaha. Rossi's team-mate, Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, was third.

The 23-year-old victor professed himself to be happier with his overall physical condition than he was last year.

"I'm not quite there yet but I am almost at 100 per cent fitness," Stoner said.

"However, I am not surprised by winning here as I felt great physically and definitely better than last year."

For his part Rossi was satisfied enough with his first race.

"We have made worse starts to a season than this, so I have to be content with the performance,'' said the charismatic Italian.

"The second-half of the race wasn't great but I am still happy.''

Stoner led from the start with Rossi dropping back to third, though the latter's compatriot Marco Melandri paid for trying to overdo it at the corner of the home straight after the first lap and ended up ploughing into the dirt.

He rejoined the race but found himself at the back of the 18 rider field.

Rossi moved into second with 20 laps remaining and with a two second deficit on Stoner.

The Australian managed to keep it around the two-second mark for the next three laps while Italians Andrea Dovizioso and Lorenzo had their own duel for third and were a further second adrift.

Loris Capirossi came to grief in spectacular fashion with 14 laps remaining.He crashed and bounced several metres into the gravel, picking himself up gingerly to walk back to the pits.

Rossi brought the gap between him and Stoner down below the two second mark for the first time after nine laps of the 22 as the duo looked to have put enough distance between themselves and the rest of the field.

Indeed with 12 laps remaining Rossi in second had an eight second advantage over third-placed Lorenzo but Stoner was not allowing the vibrant Italian to close any further on him and with 10 laps to go he had almost a three-second lead over him.

He was up by three second with seven laps remaining and Rossi seemed powerless to do anything to reduce it but the Italian known as 'The Doctor' was safe and sound in his runner-up spot as Lorenzo was well back nearly 15 seconds adrift.

From then on Stoner had no problems in extending his overall lead as with three laps remaining it stood at over five seconds and he cantered home to victory.



Qatar MotoGP Results

1. Casey Stoner (AUS/Ducati) 42min 53.984sec
2. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) at 7.771sec
3. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Yamaha) 16.244
4. Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 24.410
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Honda) 27.263
6. Alex De Angelis (SMR/Honda) 29.883
7. Chris Vermeulen (AUS/Suzuki) 33.627
8. Mika Kallio (FIN/Ducati) 34.755
9. Toni Elias (ESP/Honda) 39.481
10. Randy De Puniet (FRA/Honda) 42.284
11. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 48.526
12. Nicky Hayden (USA/Ducati) 48.883
13. Sete Gibernau (ESP/Ducati) 52.215
14. Marco Melandri (ITA/Kawasaki) 56.379
15. Yuki Takahashi (JPN/Honda) 1min 00.286sec
16. James Toseland (GBR/Yamaha) 1:14.978
17. Niccolo Canapa (ITA/Ducati) 1:15.028
Did not finish: Loris Capirossi (ITA/Suzuki)

Season Standings

1. Casey Stoner (AUS/Ducati) 25pts
2. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 20
3. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Yamaha) 16
4. Colin Edwards (USA/Yamaha) 13
5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Honda) 11
6. Alex De Angelis (SMR/Honda) 10
7. Chris Vermeulen (AUS/Suzuki) 9
8. Mika Kallio (FIN/Ducati) 8
9. Toni Elias (ESP/Honda) 7
10. Randy De Puniet (FRA/Honda) 6
11. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 5
12. Nicky Hayden (USA/Ducati) 4
13. Sete Gibernau (ESP/Ducati) 3
14. Marco Melandri (ITA/Kawasaki) 2
15. Yuki Takahashi (JPN/Honda) 1