Stoner superb in MotoGP opener

From motogp.com

The re-scheduled first MotoGP race of 2009 saw Casey Stoner take victory at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar.

Following the postponement of the opening contest due to rain in the Arabian desert, Monday evening witnessed the first race in the new single tire supplier era, but it was a familiar story with Stoner crossing the line first, ahead of World Champion Valentino Rossi.

A ruthless Stoner took the holeshot from pole and had built up a two-second gap at the end of the first lap. The 2007 World Champion’s victory never looked in serious doubt as he controlled the race from the front, having been the fastest rider in every session over the weekend.

Stoner’s winning margin was more than seven seconds at the end of a brilliant performance, casting aside any doubts about his fitness after winter surgery on his left wrist.

"I’m so pleased with this victory because it is fruit of the hard work done by everybody at Ducati over the winter," Stoner said. "It has been difficult to work in such short sessions here this weekend and going into the race last night we took a gamble with a setting change that we weren’t sure about, but we got the opportunity to try it in warm-up and it felt great, so thank you to the team that worked really hard during the whole week-end. That gave me more confidence ahead of the race.

"We knew this circuit is demanding for fuel consumption and I had to adapt my style a little to keep the pace up and hold the advantage over Valentino but finally we didn’t have problems at all with it. My wrist felt 100% tonight but I still need to work on my overall fitness after the down time over the winter and I’m sure we can keep progressing."

Completing the podium behind the front two was Rossi’s Fiat Yamaha colleague Jorge Lorenzo repeating his rostrum result from his MotoGP debut in the opening race of 2008, in his first race on Bridgestone tires.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Colin Edwards started his seventh season in MotoGP riding solidly from sixth on the grid to finish fourth on his own Bridgestone debut, making it three Yamahas in the top four.

Also on new tires and with a new factory bike Repsol Honda’s 2009 signing Andrea Dovizioso was fifth, fading slightly in the second half of the race having run in third place for several laps.
There was a good performance from Alex de Angelis, crossing the line sixth having qualified ninth at the start of his second year with the San Carlo Honda Gresini team.

Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen also made a decent start to the year with his improved GSV-R machine in seventh.

An excellent MotoGP debut from satellite Ducati rider Mika Kallio, meanwhile, saw him end up as the best placed rookie in eighth for the new look Pramac Racing outfit.

On factory machinery and returning to the Honda Gresini team this year, Toni Elías may be disappointed not to have done better than ninth, while Frenchman Randy de Puniet brought the satellite LCR Honda RC212V home three seconds behind the Spaniard to complete the top 10.

Dani Pedrosa, riding with knee and wrist injuries, battled through the pain barrier to pick up some important points in 11th spot.

On his Ducati debut, Pedrosa’s former team-mate Nicky Hayden also did well to complete the race in 12th, given the back and chest injuries he suffered in a huge highside crash in qualifying on Saturday. The brave 2006 World Champion even set his best time on the last lap.

Sete Gibernau finished 13th on his MotoGP comeback with the satellite Ducati Grupo Francisco Hernando team, unable to push into the top 10 due to his ongoing shoulder injury.

Marco Melandri made his first appearance for the Hayate Racing Team and ran off track early on but battled back well to finish in the points in 14th.

Commencing his 20th Grand Prix season Rizla Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi crashed out on lap eight and was unable to rejoin the race.

After a weekend off the MotoGP riders next reconvene at the Polini Grand Prix of Japan for round two, which takes place at the Motegi circuit from April 24-26.

Race Results
1. C. STONER (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team 42:53.984
2. V. ROSSI (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team +7.771
3. J. LORENZO (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team +16.244
4. C. EDWARDS (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +24.410
5. A. DOVIZIOSO (ITA) Repsol Honda Team +27.263
6. A. DE ANGELIS (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini +29.883
7. C. VERMEULEN (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP +33.627
8. M. KALLIO (FIN) Pramac Racing Ducati +34.755
9. T. ELIAS (SPA) San Carlo Honda Gresini +39.481
10. R. DE PUNIET (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP +42.284
11. D. PEDROSA (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +48.526
12. N. HAYDEN (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team +48.883
13. S. GIBERNAU (SPA) Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati +52.215
14. M. MELANDRI (ITA) Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki +56.379
15. Y. TAKAHASHI (JPN) Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda +1:00.286
16. J. TOSELAND (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 +1:14.978
17. N. CANEPA (ITA) Pramac Racing Ducati +1:15.028
Not classified
L. CAPIROSSI (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 15 Laps

Point Standings
1. Casey STONER (Ducati Marlboro Team) 25
2. Valentino ROSSI (Fiat Yamaha Team) 20
3. Jorge LORENZO (Fiat Yamaha Team) 16
4. Colin EDWARDS (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) 13
5. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Repsol Honda Team) 11
6. Alex DE ANGELIS (San Carlo Honda Gresini) 10
7. Chris VERMEULEN (Rizla Suzuki MotoGP) 9
8. Mika KALLIO (Pramac Racing) 8
9. Toni ELIAS (San Carlo Honda Gresini) 7
10. Randy DE PUNIET (LCR Honda MotoGP) 6
11. Dani PEDROSA (Repsol Honda Team) 5
12. Nicky HAYDEN (Ducati Marlboro Team) 4
13. Sete GIBERNAU (Grupo Francisco Hernando) 3
14. Marco MELANDRI (Hayate Racing Team) 2
15. Yuki TAKAHASHI (Scot Racing Team MotoGP) 1