26 december, 2024
Det var åtta år sedan en Honda-förare vann säsongens första deltävling i MotoGP, senast det skedde var år 2003 på Suzuka med Valentino Rossi i sadeln. Stoner har tidigare vunnit på Losail-banan i Qatar både 2008 och 2009. Helgens seger var den australiensiske förarens 24:e i MotoGP.
Tävlingen föregicks av en tyst minut där offren för jordbävningen i Japan hedrades. Först därefter kördes de 22 varven och det i ganska höga temperaturer men utan de starka vindar som alla fruktat. Det blev ett rafflande race med mycket närkontakt och en riktig duell mellan Stoner och Pedrosa…
Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda RC212V):
"After a great pre-season, we came into this race weekend and everything kept getting better and better for us. This morning in warm up we had a few issues getting a good feeling with the bike carrying a full tank of fuel and this issue also affected us in the early part of the race, but we knew as the fuel level decreased and the tyres aged, that our bike would come back to us. Dani (Pedrosa) came past and we decided to follow to see where he was strong and where I was weak. Then when I started to feel more confident with the bike and had more grip and better turning, we decided to push forwards and take advantage. Tonight the bike was fantastic, as it has been for all the sessions and I'm very proud to be racing for Repsol Honda and to take my first victory in the first race. It is a great way to start the season! I'm really happy with how everything has gone and the way the team has all worked together, a big thanks to Honda and my best wishes to Japan in this difficult time.”
Resultat MotoGP Qatar
1. Casey STONER, Honda, 25
2. Jorge LORENZO, Yamaha, 20
3. Dani PEDROSA, Honda, 16
4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, Honda, 13
5. Marco SIMONCELLI, Honda, 11
6. Ben SPIES, Yamaha, 10
7. Valentino ROSSI, Ducati, 9
8. Colin EDWARDS, Yamaha, 8
9. Nicky HAYDEN, Ducati, 7
10. Hiroshi AOYAMA, Honda, 6
