After dominating most of the Qatar week-end, Casey Stoner (Ducati) crashed out the lead early in the race , leaving Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) with a well managed win in the opening round of the 2010 MotoGP season.
Rossi's team-mate and title adversary Jorge Lorenzo finished second, and Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso took a fine third place.
After dominating practice and earning pole position, it seemed that the race belonged to Stoner. Things did not go according to plan as he dropped to third behind a fast-starting Dani Pedrosa (Honda) and Rossi off the start. Stoner reacted and passed Rossi on lap two, then Pedrosa one lap later. He was then beginning to establish a lead when, out of nowhere, the front wheel washed out and Stoner was out of the race.
Rossi then passed Pedrosa, as the Spaniard seemed to drop his pace, and fellow Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso took up the challenge, even passing Rossi for the lead at one point. Just behind Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden (Ducati) was hanging on to third until Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo passed both he and Dovi, despite a nagging injury to his right hand.
Hayden gave it his everything to get back on the podium, and did get past the Honda rider near the end of the race, but had no answer to the speed of the Honda on the finish straight and was forced to accept fourth.
MotoGP Rookie Ben Spies took a competitive fifth for Yamaha, a mere four seconds back of the winner.
MotoGP Qatar Results - 1st round
Pos Rider Bike Gap
1. Valentino Rossi Yamaha 42m50.099s
2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha +1.022s
3. Andrea Dovizioso Honda +1.865s
4. Nicky Hayden Ducati +1.876s
5. Ben Spies Yamaha +3.903s
6. Randy De Puniet Honda +9.322s
7. Dani Pedrosa Honda +16.508s
8. Etc….
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| Photo: Yamaha |
Rossi's team-mate and title adversary Jorge Lorenzo finished second, and Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso took a fine third place.
After dominating practice and earning pole position, it seemed that the race belonged to Stoner. Things did not go according to plan as he dropped to third behind a fast-starting Dani Pedrosa (Honda) and Rossi off the start. Stoner reacted and passed Rossi on lap two, then Pedrosa one lap later. He was then beginning to establish a lead when, out of nowhere, the front wheel washed out and Stoner was out of the race.
Rossi then passed Pedrosa, as the Spaniard seemed to drop his pace, and fellow Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso took up the challenge, even passing Rossi for the lead at one point. Just behind Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden (Ducati) was hanging on to third until Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo passed both he and Dovi, despite a nagging injury to his right hand.
Hayden gave it his everything to get back on the podium, and did get past the Honda rider near the end of the race, but had no answer to the speed of the Honda on the finish straight and was forced to accept fourth.
MotoGP Rookie Ben Spies took a competitive fifth for Yamaha, a mere four seconds back of the winner.
MotoGP Qatar Results - 1st round
Pos Rider Bike Gap
1. Valentino Rossi Yamaha 42m50.099s
2. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha +1.022s
3. Andrea Dovizioso Honda +1.865s
4. Nicky Hayden Ducati +1.876s
5. Ben Spies Yamaha +3.903s
6. Randy De Puniet Honda +9.322s
7. Dani Pedrosa Honda +16.508s
8. Etc….