Stoner sets early pace for Qatar GP

Source: Agencies | April 12, 2009, Sunday |

Print Edition

CASEY Stoner issued an early warning to his MotoGP rivals by clocking the fastest time in the first free practice for the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix on Friday.

The Australian also laid to rest worries about his left wrist surgery last November to repair a damaged scaphoid bone. Despite no lateral movement in the wrist, he timed 1 minute, 57.053 seconds on his Ducati around 17 laps of the Losail circuit in pleasant conditions in Doha.

He's won the last two races here, the first sending him to his only world title.

World champion Valentino Rossi of Italy was second in 1:57.439, edging Yamaha teammate Colin Edwards of the United States.

Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo of Spain was fourth and Honda's Alex de Angelis of San Marino fifth.

Ducati's Sete Gibernau of Spain, back from a three-year retirement, was 16th, more than 3.5 seconds off Stoner's pace. The day before, he seemingly publicly buried the hatchet with Rossi, with whom he had a bitter rivalry before retiring at the end of 2006.

Gabor Talmacsi of Hungary was fastest in the 250cc category, pushing Alvaro Bautista of Spain into second. Mattia Pasini of Italy was third. At 125cc, Julian Simon of Spain led an Aprilia 1-2-3, followed by Britain's Bradley Smith and Spain's Nicolas Terol.

Qualifying was later yesterday for today's night race.

Motorcycling

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Stoner sets early pace for Qatar GP

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