Casey Stoner makes flying start by topping Qatar MotoGP

DOHA: Australian Casey Stoner won the floodlit Qatar MotoGP season-opener for the fourth time in five years on Sunday ahead of Spaniards Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa.

Starting from pole position after dominating all three practice sessions, Stoner beat Yamaha’s world champion Lorenzo by 3.44 seconds at the Losail circuit in a dream debut with the works Repsol Honda team.

The Australian, who raced for Ducati last year, has now won 24 Grands Prix in the top category.

Spain’s Pedrosa, Stoner’s Honda team-mate, was struggling with a painful arm and looked exhausted after finishing just over five seconds behind the Australian, despite taking the lead on the opening lap and fighting an entertaining duel to the halfway point.

Valentino Rossi of Italy, winner of nine world titles across the classes but struggling with a shoulder injury, finished well off the pace in seventh in his first race with Ducati after leaving Yamaha.

New start for Rossi and Ducati

MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO (Italy): Ducati and Valentino Rossi are embarking on a new era after the popoular Italian superstar joined the Italian team from Yamaha for the new season, according to the company’s general manager Claudio Domenicali.

After seven world titles for Japanese teams Honda and Yamaha, Rossi has returned to an Italian constructor for the first time since winning 125cc and 250cc world titles with Aprilia in the late 1990s.

“This coming season opens a new phase with the great news that is Valentino Rossi,” said Domenicali.

“He will try our (road) products and will give his opinion on the bikes of the future.