Qatar: Stoner tops opening practice

Casey Stoner

The 2012 MotoGP World Championship began tonight under the footlights of the spectacular Grand Prix of Qatar.

The MotoGP riders took to the Losail circuit for the first time this season in a short free practice of 45 minutes, and started to work on the set up of their bikes for the opening race of the Championship.

Casey Stoner set the fastest time with 1'56.474.

CASEY STONER 1st 1'56.474
"The track tonight wasn't so bad, I expected the conditions to be much worse but in general it was ok. We started this evening with huge chatter issues and I was a little afraid we couldn't fix this but after a few more exits we managed to reduce it to a more comfortable level. This is a positive point for the weekend but with such a short session and then nothing until tomorrow it's slightly strange. It was an ok start tonight, we finished quickest which is good but we'll have to wait until tomorrow for some real track time and with the conditions a little better and see where we are".

Results

Pos Rider Time Nat Bike Team
1 Casey Stoner 1'56.474 AUS HONDA Repsol Honda Team
2 Jorge Lorenzo 1'56.648 SPA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing Team
3 Nicky Hayden 1'56.924 USA DUCATI Ducati Team
4 Ben Spies 1'56.982 USA YAMAHA Yamaha Factory Racing Team
5 Dani Pedrosa 1'57.130 SPA HONDA Repsol Honda Team
6 Cal Crutchlow 1'57.395 GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
7 Alvaro Bautista 1'57.512 SPA HONDA San Carlo Honda Gresini
8 Andrea Dovizioso 1'57.547 ITA YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
9 Hector Barbera 1'57.912 SPA DUCATI Pramac Racing
10 Valentino Rossi 1'57.914 ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
11 Karel Abraham 1'57.939 CZE DUCATI Cardion AB Motoracing
12 Stefan Bradl 1'58.934 GER HONDA LCR Honda MotoGP
13 Randy De Puniet 1'59.985 FRA ART Aspar Team MotoGP
14 Colin Edwards 2'00.044 USA SUTER NGM Mobile Forward Racing
15 Michelle Pirro 2'00.322 ITA HONDA San Carlo Honda Gresini
16 Aleix Espargaro 2'00.720 ESP ART Aspar Team MotoGP
17 Ivan Silva 2'01.138 SPA BQR-FTR BQR
18 Mattia Pasini 2'01.261 ITA ART Speed Master
19 Yonny Hernandez 2'01.276 COL BQR-FTR BQR
20 Danilo Petrucci 2'01.352 ITA IODA Ioda Racing Project
21 James Ellison 2'03.421 GBR ART Paul Bird Racing