Stoner runs amok in Qatar

The rescheduled first MotoGP race of 2009 saw Australian Ducati rider Casey Stoner take victory at the Grand Prix of Qatar, completing a hat track of wins at the Losail International Circuit on April 13.

The race was the first under the new single tyre rule, but it was a familiar story with Stoner crossing the line first, ahead of world champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha).

A ruthless Stoner took the holeshot from pole and had built up a two-second lead by 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.

Although Stoner made it look easy, the Australian revealed that a lot of concentration and adaptation was needed over the course of the 22-lap race.

A fuel consumption issue had Stoner modifying his style as he streaked out in front, and he explained afterwards that his turning up the heat later on was not a direct response to some fast times from Rossi.

"We had a very small problem with fuel consumption, and the team had told me that if it was possible I should run in a way that would help it out. I tried faster corner speeds and riding with higher gears, but from about lap 10 it wasn't enough," said the Ducati Marlboro man. "I had to change my style again, but there were no problems after that."

Stoner regarded his 2008 win as a false dawn in his season, as the victory disguised some problems with the Desmosedici GP8 that took time in being resolved. This year, however, he sees himself as being in a much stronger position.

"Everything went perfect in preseason, and I'd like to start this year better than the last one, where we really struggled from this race up until basically the middle of the season. It would be nice to think that we can put up a little more of a fight right up until the end of the year," said the 23-year-old.

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

Colin Edwards (Yamaha) 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 tyres 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 (Honda), crossing the line sixth having qualified ninth at the start of his second year with the San Carlo Honda Gresini team.

Australia's Chris Vermeulen also made a decent start to the year with his improved Suzuki GSV-R machine in seventh. It was equal to his best- ever result at Losail.

"I made a good start and got into a good group of guys straight away and I was hoping to stay there," said Vermeulen. "The track conditions were a bit different to what it had been all weekend and it was very different to the test which was how I had the bike set-up, and to be honest I really struggled for front end feeling.

"Towards the end of the race the rear tyre performance dropped off as well so that's something we've really got to work on. It's hard though with the lack of testing in race conditions and also on race weekends with the sessions being shorter and there being less of them, it makes it very difficult to put race distance on the tyres and to iron out any other problems.

"It was not the result we wanted because we were hoping to be in the top five. We have got quite a bit of work to do to catch up to the podium so we need to put our thinking caps on and go to Motegi and have a better performance."

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

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 teammate 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.

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

Meanwhile, in a country where rain is rare and torrential rain is even rarer, the freak storm threw a wrench into every race on the schedule. The 125cc race was stopped by rain on the fifth of 18 scheduled laps and declared official, with results reverting to the end of lap four. The riders were awarded half points, with Andrea Iannone (Aprilia) winning the race from Julian Simon (Aprilia) and Sandro Cortese (Derbi).

The 250cc race was postponed by 20 minutes and shortened by seven laps from 20 to 13. But what the race lost in length it made up for in excitement, with a thrilling two-rider battle to the end, and a five-way battle for third.

Spaniard Hector Barbera (Aprilia) led the first lap and the last, and five in between, but his victory was never assured. His competition came first from Alex Debon (Aprilia), who led laps two and three, before he began a march to the rear. He would finish 14th.

In his place came journeyman Jules Cluzel, a French rider who'd never placed higher than 10th and who scored no points in 2008. Those facts were irrelevant as he rode an ex-Marco Simoncelli machine to the front of the field, taking the lead from Barbera on lap five as the battle for third was 11-strong.

The leaders made a break on the sixth lap, easing away from those clamouring behind, and taking their fight to the end. Barbera pulled out of the draft and passed Cluzel as they approached the stripe to end the ninth lap, then quickly built up a small cushion. The lead crept ever upward, though it was never more than a second. The margin of victory was 0.826secs.

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.

For full results and standings across all classes, click here.