Stoner holds off Rossi in Qatar
Fast start: Ducati MotoGP rider Casey Stoner of Australia celebrates on the podium after winning the Qatar Grand Prix in Doha yesterday. Picture: Reuters
Sunday, March 11, 2007
AUSTRALIAN Casey Stoner won the opening Grand Prix of the season here ahead of five-time world champion Valentino Rossi of Italy and Spain's Dani Pedrosa yesterday.
Ducati rider Stoner took the Qatar GP title in a time of 43 minutes 02.788 seconds at the Losail International Circuit. Rossi on a Yamaha was second in 43:05.626 and Honda's Pedrosa came in third in 43:11.318.
Stoner and Rossi, who started at the front of the grid, traded the lead throughout the race with the Australian finally prevailing for his first MotoGP win.
Rossi's Yamaha was superior on the turns, but Stoner's Ducati gave him the edge with awesome straight-line speed.
Reigning champion Nicky Hayden looked ill at ease on the new Honda and finished down in eighth place.
Hayden's teammate Pedrosa won a hard-fought battle with American John Hopkins to take third place.
Northern Ireland rider Jeremy McWilliams was not fit enough to take part after hurting his leg in a crash during Friday's qualifying.
Rossi started on pole and held the lead until the end of the first lap when Stoner's power down the straight propelled him past the Italian.
From then on, the pair shared the lead and began to pull away from Spaniard Pedrosa.
Stoner held the lead for the majority of the second half of the race and when Rossi tried to make a move with four laps to go, the Australian immediately went back in front.
The 21-year-old then put in his fastest lap to claim victory.
Five-time champion Rossi was more than satisfied with his start to the season.
"The Yamaha was well balanced and took the corners well," said the 28-year-old. "I am happy because we made the right tyre choice.
"A win is better but second is not so bad," added the Italian.
RESULTS: 1 Casey Stoner (Aus) Ducati 43 min 02.788 sec, 2 Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha at 2.838 sec, 3 Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 8.530, 4 John Hopkins (US) Suzuki 9.071, 5 Marco Melandri (Ita) Honda 17.433, 6 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha 18.647, 7 Chris Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 22.916, 8 Nicky Hayden (US) Honda 23.057, 9 Alex Barros (Bra) Ducati 25.961, 10 Shinya Nakano (Jpn) Honda 28.456.Agencies
Ducati rider Stoner took the Qatar GP title in a time of 43 minutes 02.788 seconds at the Losail International Circuit. Rossi on a Yamaha was second in 43:05.626 and Honda's Pedrosa came in third in 43:11.318.
Stoner and Rossi, who started at the front of the grid, traded the lead throughout the race with the Australian finally prevailing for his first MotoGP win.
Rossi's Yamaha was superior on the turns, but Stoner's Ducati gave him the edge with awesome straight-line speed.
Reigning champion Nicky Hayden looked ill at ease on the new Honda and finished down in eighth place.
Hayden's teammate Pedrosa won a hard-fought battle with American John Hopkins to take third place.
Northern Ireland rider Jeremy McWilliams was not fit enough to take part after hurting his leg in a crash during Friday's qualifying.
Rossi started on pole and held the lead until the end of the first lap when Stoner's power down the straight propelled him past the Italian.
From then on, the pair shared the lead and began to pull away from Spaniard Pedrosa.
Stoner held the lead for the majority of the second half of the race and when Rossi tried to make a move with four laps to go, the Australian immediately went back in front.
The 21-year-old then put in his fastest lap to claim victory.
Five-time champion Rossi was more than satisfied with his start to the season.
"The Yamaha was well balanced and took the corners well," said the 28-year-old. "I am happy because we made the right tyre choice.
"A win is better but second is not so bad," added the Italian.
RESULTS: 1 Casey Stoner (Aus) Ducati 43 min 02.788 sec, 2 Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha at 2.838 sec, 3 Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda 8.530, 4 John Hopkins (US) Suzuki 9.071, 5 Marco Melandri (Ita) Honda 17.433, 6 Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha 18.647, 7 Chris Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki 22.916, 8 Nicky Hayden (US) Honda 23.057, 9 Alex Barros (Bra) Ducati 25.961, 10 Shinya Nakano (Jpn) Honda 28.456.Agencies
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