STONER BRAINS ‘EM IN QATAR
- 21 May 2013
Australian World Champion Casey Stoner used not just his speed but also his intelligence to score a dominant win in the first round of the World Moto Grand Prix series in Qatar. In the early laps, while all his competitors were fighting hard Stoner sat at the rear of the front pack saving his tyres in order to launch a devastating attack at one third distance which gave him a lead that he would not lose.
It really was the perfect reply to all those who have tried to under value his championship victory last year. There were those that claimed that it was just the bike, that anyone could have won on the Ducati. Hmmm. Stoner 10 wins, Capirosi 1. Oh said the doughters, Capirosi was over the hill so into the team comes Marco Melandri who pushed Rossi hard at Yamaha last year. The result? Stoner first, Melandri eleventh. So not the bike then. Must be the tyres, Bridgestone are much better than the Michelins. Pity that in the Yamaha team, Lorenzo on the Michelin shod bike came second and Rossi on the Bridgestones came fifth. In fact the third best rider on Bridgestone tyres was Melandri so eight of the top ten were on Michelins. So I guess we are just left with the rider, and Casey Stoner IS a world champion. And a bloody good one.
Dani Pedrosa had a blinder of a start from 9th on the grid to lead into turn one and led the first few lap until Rossi went up the inside under brakes. Rossi held the lead until lap eight when
Stoner decided that he had waited long enough. In that one lap Stoner passed Pedrosa for third, Lorenzo for second and then nailed Rossi as they crossed the line at the end of the lap. At that, as they say, was that. Lorenzo got past Rossi a few laps later and tried to chase Stoner but like the other, he had asked too much of his tyres in the early scrap and Stoner just kept on pulling away. Rossi continued to drop back and finally finished in fifth behind Pedrosa and debutant Andrea Dovizioso. The last lap scrap between Dovizioso and Rossi was possibly the highlight of the race with the two riders swapping positions three times on the last lap.
RESULTS
Pos Rider Make Time 1. Casey Stoner Ducati 42:36.587 2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha + 5.323 3. Daniel Pedrosa Honda + 10.600 4. Andrea Dovizioso Honda + 13.288 5. Valentino Rossi Yamaha + 13.305 6. James Toseland Yamaha + 14.040 7. Colin Edwards Yamaha + 15.150 8. Loris Capirossi Suzuki + 32.505 9. Randy de Puniet Honda + 33.00310. Nicky Hayden Honda + 38.35411. Marco Melandri Ducati + 44.28412. John Hopkins Kawasaki + 49.85713. Shinya Nakano Honda + 49.87114. Toni Elias Ducati + 58.53215. Sylvain Guintoli Ducati + 58.93016. Anthony West Kawasaki +1:05.64317. Chris Vermeulen Suzuki + 1 Lap
Not classified:
Rider Make On lap Alex de Angelis Honda 16 Fastest lap: Stoner, 1:55.153 on lap 14
Sam Snape 12-3-2008