Rossi tops Qatar testing

The final round of MotoGP testing ahead of the 2010 season commenced today under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit near Doha, the capital city of Qatar. The MotoGP teams were back in action at the venue which will host Round One of the World Championship in a little over three weeks’ time.

As the sun set over the desert circuit, and the temperatures became more bearable the riders ventured out on track shortly after the pit-lane opened at 6pm to begin their first evening’s work.

Valentino Rossi was again fastest. American Nicky Hayden was again over a second per lap slower than his Ducati teammate Casey Stoner and probably should just hang up his helmet because he simply is too heavy to compete with the lightweight riders like Rossi and Stoner.

Official lap times

1. Valentino Rossi 1:55.402
2. Casey Stoner 1:55.717
3. Ben Spies 1:55.954
4. Colin Edwards 1:56.540
5. Randy De Puniet 1:56.588
6. Andrea Dovizioso 1:56.811
7. Jorge Lorenzo 1:56.838
8. Nicky Hayden 1:56.855
9. Mika Kallio 1:56.923
10. Dani Pedrosa 1:57.047
11. Loris Capirossi 1:57.099
12. Marco Melandri 1:57.605
13. Hector Barbera 1:57.822
14. Hiro Aoyama 1:57.888
15. Marco Simoncelli 1:57.891
16. Aleix Espargaro 1:57.898
17. Alvaro Bautista 1:57.960