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Sunday, 9th March 2008
Marlboro Ducati?s Casey Stoner successfully began the defense of his MotoGP World Championship today in the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, though it wasn?t without a fight ? at least early on. Though he ultimately won by 5.323 seconds, Stoner had his hands full for at least half the race with pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo, the MotoGP rookie impressive in his debut as he held on to finish second behind Stoner. Starting from pole position, Lorenzo put in a mighty effort to finish second in his maiden MotoGP ? and the first MotoGP ever held at night.
Third place went to Repsol Honda?s Dani Pedrosa, 10.6 seconds behind Stoner and 5.2 behind Lorenzo. Pedrosa had to fight through from the middle of the pack, passing Valentino Rossi in the closing stages to earn the final podium spot. Rossi, however, didn?t end up fourth as he was beaten to the line by Andrea Dovizioso, the JiR Scot Honda rider topping Rossi by just .017 in the race for fourth.
Although he may not have impressed as much as Lorenzo, World Superbike Champion James Toseland turned heads nonetheless as he only came up .7 of a second short of also getting Rossi. Toseland, in his first-ever MotoGP, finished sixth on the Tech 3 Yamaha, holding off his teammate Colin Edwards by a tad over a second.
Then came Rizla Suzuki?s Loris Capirossi, the Italian over 17 seconds behind Edwards and some 32 seconds off Stoner?s pace. The veteran MotoGP rider barely bested LCR Honda?s Randy de Puniet, the two crossing the line with less than half a second between them. A further five seconds adrift came Nicky Hayden, the Repsol Honda rider off the pace and finishing 10th. Marco Melandri?s Marlboro Ducati debut didn?t go well as he was mired in 11th place, one place better than the third American in the race ? Kawasaki?s John Hopkins.
1. Stoner
2. Lorenzo
3. Pedrosa
4. Dovizioso
5. Rossi
6. Toseland
7. Edwards
8. Capirossi
9. de Puniet
10. Hayden
11. Melandri
12. Hopkins
13. Nakano
14. Elias
15. Guintoli
16. West
17. Vermeulen
Marlboro Ducati?s Casey Stoner successfully began the defense of his MotoGP World Championship today in the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, though it wasn?t without a fight ? at least early on.
Third place went to Repsol Honda?s Dani Pedrosa, 10.6 seconds behind Stoner and 5.2 behind Lorenzo. Pedrosa had to fight through from the middle of the pack, passing Valentino Rossi in the closing stages to earn the final podium spot. Rossi, however, didn?t end up fourth as he was beaten to the line by Andrea Dovizioso, the JiR Scot Honda rider topping Rossi by just .017 in the race for fourth.
Although he may not have impressed as much as Lorenzo, World Superbike Champion James Toseland turned heads nonetheless as he only came up .7 of a second short of also getting Rossi. Toseland, in his first-ever MotoGP, finished sixth on the Tech 3 Yamaha, holding off his teammate Colin Edwards by a tad over a second.
Then came Rizla Suzuki?s Loris Capirossi, the Italian over 17 seconds behind Edwards and some 32 seconds off Stoner?s pace. The veteran MotoGP rider barely bested LCR Honda?s Randy de Puniet, the two crossing the line with less than half a second between them. A further five seconds adrift came Nicky Hayden, the Repsol Honda rider off the pace and finishing 10th. Marco Melandri?s Marlboro Ducati debut didn?t go well as he was mired in 11th place, one place better than the third American in the race ? Kawasaki?s John Hopkins.
1. Stoner
2. Lorenzo
3. Pedrosa
4. Dovizioso
5. Rossi
6. Toseland
7. Edwards
8. Capirossi
9. de Puniet
10. Hayden
11. Melandri
12. Hopkins
13. Nakano
14. Elias
15. Guintoli
16. West
17. Vermeulen