Stoner takes dominant Qatar pole
Casey Stoner took a dominant season-opening pole position in Qatar, ahead of tomorrow night's motorcycling Grand Prix.
The Ducati Marlboro rider never looked under pressure from the other riders and led almost exclusively throughout the 45-minute qualifying session, to end up with a time of 1:55.286.
Best of the rest was reigning champion Valentino Rossi, who managed to close to within half a second of Stoner in the final seconds of the session, along with his Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo in third spot.
Andrea Dovizioso leads the second row of the grid with his Repsol Honda, followed by Loris Capirossi's Rizla Suzuki and Colin Edwards's Tech 3 Yamaha.
Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) and Alex de Angelis (Gresini Honda) round up the third row.
Mika Kallio, on the Pramac-run Ducati, was best of the rookies with his tenth-fastest time.
Thanks to his 11th spot on the grid, Marco Melandri on the Hayate Kawasaki has already equalled his best starting position from last year on the works Ducati.
Injured Dani Pedrosa qualified 14th with his Repsol Honda, followed by the Hernando Ducati of returnee Sete Gibernau and the Ducati Marlboro of Nicky Hayden, who had a massive high-side just when time ran out and required medical attention at the scene.
1. Casey Stoner Ducati 1m55.286s
2. Valentino Rossi Yamaha 1m55.759s + 0.473s
3. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 1m55.783s + 0.497s
4. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 1m55.977s + 0.691s
5. Loris Capirossi Suzuki 1m56.149s + 0.863s
6. Colin Edwards Yamaha 1m56.194s + 0.908s
7. Randy de Puniet Honda 1m56.358s + 1.072s
8. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 1m56.493s + 1.207s
9. Alex de Angelis Honda 1m56.790s + 1.504s
10. Mika Kallio Ducati 1m56.852s + 1.566s
11. Marco Melandri Kawasaki 1m56.962s + 1.676s
12. Toni Elias Honda 1m57.225s + 1.939s
13. James Toseland Yamaha 1m57.510s + 2.224s
14. Dani Pedrosa Honda 1m57.729s + 2.443s
15. Sete Gibernau Ducati 1m57.899s + 2.613s
16. Nicky Hayden Ducati 1m58.215s + 2.929s
17. Yuki Takahashi Honda 1m58.784s + 3.498s
18. Niccolo Canepa Ducati 1m58.999s + 3.713s
Source: autosport.com
Casey Stoner took a dominant season-opening pole position in Qatar, ahead of tomorrow night's motorcycling Grand Prix.
The Ducati Marlboro rider never looked under pressure from the other riders and led almost exclusively throughout the 45-minute qualifying session, to end up with a time of 1:55.286.
Best of the rest was reigning champion Valentino Rossi, who managed to close to within half a second of Stoner in the final seconds of the session, along with his Fiat Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo in third spot.
Andrea Dovizioso leads the second row of the grid with his Repsol Honda, followed by Loris Capirossi's Rizla Suzuki and Colin Edwards's Tech 3 Yamaha.
Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda), Chris Vermeulen (Suzuki) and Alex de Angelis (Gresini Honda) round up the third row.
Mika Kallio, on the Pramac-run Ducati, was best of the rookies with his tenth-fastest time.
Thanks to his 11th spot on the grid, Marco Melandri on the Hayate Kawasaki has already equalled his best starting position from last year on the works Ducati.
Injured Dani Pedrosa qualified 14th with his Repsol Honda, followed by the Hernando Ducati of returnee Sete Gibernau and the Ducati Marlboro of Nicky Hayden, who had a massive high-side just when time ran out and required medical attention at the scene.
1. Casey Stoner Ducati 1m55.286s
2. Valentino Rossi Yamaha 1m55.759s + 0.473s
3. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 1m55.783s + 0.497s
4. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 1m55.977s + 0.691s
5. Loris Capirossi Suzuki 1m56.149s + 0.863s
6. Colin Edwards Yamaha 1m56.194s + 0.908s
7. Randy de Puniet Honda 1m56.358s + 1.072s
8. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki 1m56.493s + 1.207s
9. Alex de Angelis Honda 1m56.790s + 1.504s
10. Mika Kallio Ducati 1m56.852s + 1.566s
11. Marco Melandri Kawasaki 1m56.962s + 1.676s
12. Toni Elias Honda 1m57.225s + 1.939s
13. James Toseland Yamaha 1m57.510s + 2.224s
14. Dani Pedrosa Honda 1m57.729s + 2.443s
15. Sete Gibernau Ducati 1m57.899s + 2.613s
16. Nicky Hayden Ducati 1m58.215s + 2.929s
17. Yuki Takahashi Honda 1m58.784s + 3.498s
18. Niccolo Canepa Ducati 1m58.999s + 3.713s
Source: autosport.com
