Stoner storms Qatar with pole
Added on Saturday, April 10th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments
Stoner storms Qatar with pole
Casey Stoner continued his dominant form in Qatar for round one of the 2010 MotoGP Championship, rocketing to pole position after a thrilling qualifying session.
Having topped the timing sheets twice already this weekend in Free Practice one and two, the Ducati rider again controlled the pace, claiming top spot with around twenty minutes to go.
Making his full season debut in the premier class this season after making his name in World Superbikes last year, Yamaha rider Ben Spies set the early pace, going quickest as the qualifying hour started. However, just five minutes into the hour and a familiar form took over, with Jorge Lorenzo inheriting the number one position.
As is expected during the qualifying hour, provisional pole position changed repeatedly whilst the riders settled into their rhythm. Randy De Puniet and Dani Pedrosa were among the names to top the times, before a fired up Stoner took over the place.
Behind the Australian, the battle really began to hot up, with reigning champion Valentino Rossi sliding through to second where he remained for the rest of the hour. Despite third spot changing repeatedly, it was Rossi’s teammate Lorenzo who finally claimed the position, riding with injury after injuring his hand in pre-season testing.
De Puniet eventually settled in fourth as the session came to an end, whilst Loris Capirossi posted the fifth quickest time. Andrea Dovizioso rode on through to a sixth place grid slot, with his Repsol Honda Team teammate Pedrosa in seventh. American Colin Edwards managed the ninth fastest time, courtesy of his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine, while fellow American Nicky Hayden will start from tenth. Edwards’ teammate, Spies finished the first qualifying hour of the 2010 season eleventh.
After a long winter MotoGP is back, with all seventeen riders eager to see those lights go out at the start of tomorrow’s race.
MotoGP Qualifying Positions, Qatar:
| Pos. | Rider | Nation | Team | Time |
| 1 | Casey STONER | AUS | Ducati Marlboro Team | 1’55.007 |
| 2 | Valentino ROSSI | ITA | Fiat Yamaha Team | 1’55.362 |
| 3 | Jorge LORENZO | SPA | Fiat Yamaha Team | 1’55.520 |
| 4 | Randy DE PUNIET | FRA | LCR Honda MotoGP | 1’55.831 |
| 5 | Loris CAPIROSSI | ITA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | 1’55.899 |
| 6 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | ITA | Repsol Honda Team | 1’55.963 |
| 7 | Dani PEDROSA | SPA | Repsol Honda Team | 1’55.990 |
| 8 | Colin EDWARDS | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 1’56.005 |
| 9 | Nicky HAYDEN | USA | Ducati Marlboro Team | 1’56.163 |
| 10 | Hiroshi AOYAMA | JPN | Interwetten Honda MotoGP | 1’56.227 |
| 11 | Ben SPIES | USA | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 1’56.271 |
| 12 | Mika KALLIO | FIN | Pramac Racing Team | 1’56.283 |
| 13 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | SPA | Rizla Suzuki MotoGP | 1’56.450 |
| 14 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Pramac Racing Team | 1’56.652 |
| 15 | Marco SIMONCELLI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | 1’56.957 |
| 16 | Hector BARBERA | SPA | Paginas Amarillas Aspar | 1’57.130 |
| 17 | Marco MELANDRI | ITA | San Carlo Honda Gresini | 1’57.325 |
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