Stoner wins first race of the season
Casey Stoner managed to win the first race of the 2011 MotoGP season last night, with a huge 3.44 second lead over Lorenzo, who came in second!
However, the real disappointing show was in offering for Italian, Ducati and Rossi fans, as the doctor only managed finish the race 16.431 seconds behind Stoner, at 7th place and his team mate, Hayden, crossing the finish line 11 seconds later, at 9th place!
After the race, Rossi blamed his last season’s shoulder injury for the disappointing showing, “For sure we’re not here to get seventh-place finishes, but there are also positive things from this race, starting with the times, because we were lapping pretty quickly. I had a great start, and that was a nice feeling because the horsepower that this bike has really helps it to launch. Then I made a small error in the first turn, which is a shame because I got stuck behind Barbera for a few laps. Otherwise I would have been closer to Simoncelli and Dovizioso, since anyway there was a period when I lapped with them. I wouldn’t have beaten them though, because at the end of the race, I’m no longer able to ride like I have to. I’m not referring to the Ducati because even last year, after I hurt my shoulder, I had the same problems in the latter parts of the races, and since the two bikes are so different, it means that it’s really a matter of me not being physically right. It’s not just that. We also have to improve the bike because the others have clearly made a step forward since last year. Still, I learned a lot in this test and in this race, and we’ve already given very specific instructions about what must be done in the long term, in order to improve for the second half of the season for example. In the near term, on the other hand, we’ll work on the setup, we’ll keep gathering experience, and I’ll continue exercising and doing everything I can to recuperate physically.”
For the sake of Rossi’s fan (which I too am one) and MotoGP in general, we really hope Rossi recovers fast and well, so as to make the races, much more interesting than this one!
2011 Motogp Qatar Results
1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 42’38.569
2. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing + 3.440
3. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team + 5.051
4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team + 5.942
5. Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini + 7.358
6. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing + 10.468
7. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team + 16.431
8. Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 + 26.293
9. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team + 27.416
10. Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini + 28.920
11. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 + 34.539
12. Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team + 34.829
13. Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing + 37.957
14. Toni Elias (SPA) LCR Honda MotoGP Not classified (4 laps)
15. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Pramac Racing Team Not classified (21 laps)
16. Randy De Puniet (FRA) Pramac Racing Team Not classified (22 laps)
2011 Motogp Championship Standings
1 Casey Stoner (AUS) Repsol Honda Team 25
2 Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Yamaha Factory Racing 20
3 Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 16
4 Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda Team 13
5 Marco Simoncelli (ITA) San Carlo Honda Gresini 11
6 Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha Factory Racing 10
7 Valentino Rossi (ITA) Ducati Team 9
8 Colin Edwards (USA) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 8
9 Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Team 7
10 Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini 6
11 Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 5
12 Hector Barbera (SPA) Aspar Team 4
13 Karel Abraham (CZE) Cardion AB Motoracing 3
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