Casey Stoner has shown precisely what no-one wanted to see this evening, running away with the first ever night race at Qatar - and making it look all far too easy.
The reigning world champion had no great power advantage at Losail this year, but the rider/Ducati/Bridgestone package proved far too strong with the young Aussie finishing an easy five seconds ahead of Fiat Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo and Honda's Dani Pedrosa.Click here for rider reaction.
Class rookies Andrea Dovizioso and James Toseland came fourth and sixth, with The Doctor Valentino Rossi splitting them. Dovi managed to pass Rossi on the last lap and held him off across the line.
Pedrosa came from nowhere as the red lights went out, piling into the first corner and immediately pulling a lead. Toseland pushed his way to second with Rossi third. The Spaniard managed to pull a 1.5s lead in the space of three laps and stayed there in Rossi passed him on lap five.
Lorenzo was next past, followed by Stoner who pushed Pedrosa wide. Lorenzo then went round his team-mate Rossi. It wasn't long before Stoner hit the front and then proceeded to clear off, towing Lorenzo away. Pedrosa ended up a lonely third.
Dovizioso and Toseland spent most of the race's second half catching and then hounding Rossi. Toseland had slipped back to sixth but then his bike came back to him and he pushed back into contention. The Briton rode a mature race, taking no risks and settling for some good championship points.
Results:
1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 42min 36.587 secs
2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 42min 41.910 secs
3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 42min 47.187 secs
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Scot Team (M) 42min 49.875 secs
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 42min 49.892 secs
6. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 42min 50.627 secs
7. Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 42min 51.737 secs
8. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 43min 9.092 secs
9. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 43min 9.590 secs
10. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 43min 14.941 secs
11. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 43min 20.871 secs
12. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 43min 26.444 secs
13. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 43min 26.458 secs
14. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 43min 35.119 secs
15. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 43min 35.517 secs
16. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 43min 42.230 secs
17. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1 lap
WIN MOTOGP DVDS