Australian Casey Stoner beat world champion Valentino Rossi into second place to claim victory in the Qatar MotoGP.
World champion has to settle for second
Australian Casey Stoner beat world champion Valentino Rossi into second place to claim victory in the Qatar MotoGP.
The season's curtain-raiser had been postponed after heavy wind and rain on Sunday but Stoner was undeterred as he completed his third victory at Losail International circuit, just outside Doha.
The Ducati Ryder started the race - the first since a rule was passed to install Bridgestone as sole tyre provider - on pole and had already forged a two-second lead by the end of the first lap.
By the end of the race that advantage had crept up to seven seconds as Stoner, who had been fastest in every session this weekend, controlled proceedings from the front.
Podium
Rossi's Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo completed the podium, repeating his third-placed finish at the same venue in 2008.
Monster Yamaha Tech 3's Colin Edwards finished fourth having gained two places from his starting position of sixth.
"I'm not quite there yet but I am almost at 100percent fitness," said the 23-year-old Stoner. "However, I am not surprised by winning here as I felt great physically and definitely better than last year."
Rossi was satisfied enough with second place. "We have made worse starts to a season than this, so I have to be content with the performance," said the Italian. "The second-half of the race wasn't great but I am still happy."
