MotoGP Race Report | Qatar 2009
- From: TRS Media | Published: April 13th, 2009 - 2:57 pm
So, we had a race. CommercialBank Grand Prix of Qatar
The 2009 MotoGP season finally got under way today in Qatar. The race was a good one but was a bit like déjà vu. Stoner was dominant start to finish pulling a gap of 1.268 seconds in the first lap. He dominated this race last year and was dominant from the time they unloaded until his awesome crossed-up wheelie across the start/finish, winning the race by over 5 seconds from Rossi and Lorenzo. Despite Stoner, there was racing on the track today, just a bit further back in the pack.
At the start Casey leads into corner one from the pole, followed by Capirossi, Lorenzo and Rossi. Further back in the pack and in seemingly a non-incident, Melandri tests the Kawasaki in the gravel trap but doesn’t fall and is able to rejoin the race. Rossi takes Lorenzo on lap two and then they both go around Capirossi who quickly falls into the clutches of Dovizioso in a battle for fourth. By the end of the second lap, Stoner has pulled out another second to lead Rossi across the line by 2.844 seconds.
Colin Edwards is hanging strong in sixth holding off Chris Vermeulen and Nicky Hayden is gritting it out in fifteenth. The Doctor is flying now that he’s got clear track but you get the feeling it’s somewhat in vain. Dovizioso has come through to third and is looking really good on the Repsol machine, but Lorenzo isn’t giving up at all. At one point Dovi pulls as much as a half second ahead and then one corner later Lorenzo dips back under him to resume in third. At the same time towards the back of the pack Toseland is practicing his off-road skills as it appears that maybe his bike has expired.
With fifteen to go Capirossi loses it in a high speed low side. He jumps right up but the bike goes for a big-time tumble. Back at the front Rossi has reeled Stoner in a bit, closing the gap down to 2.036 seconds. At almost half way the running order is now Stoner, Rossi, Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Edwards, Pedrosa, Vermeulen, DeAngelis, Kallio and DePuniet to round out the top ten. Also by half point Rossi has an eight plus second gap on Lorenzo. Barring any big drama, first and second seem set.
Pedrosa is having a race though. After being questionable to race at all, he has moved through the pack nicely but now has fallen into the grips of Chris Vermeulen. Vermeulen is able to sneak under him and DeAngelis comes with him, making contact with Pedrosa on his way through. Pedrosa has a pretty big moment almost coming off the bike and then almost running wide as he gathers it back up. He loses all his momentum though, and is now being hounded by Kallio who will get him two corners later.
Back at the front, the gap is moving the other way again as Stoner has pulled out another second to lead Rossi by three seconds now. Edwards is still on the move and makes a move on Dovi now to take over fourth place and they have quite a dice as the Honda looks really fast today. Speaking of fast Hondas, Pedrosa’s Honda gets paced by Elias now but on the straight Pedrosa motors right back by. Obviously Pedrosa isn’t 100% because a couple corners later Elias gets back under him and this time it looks like it will stick. Stoner’s lead is five and a half seconds now and he seems to be on cruise control as he’s hardly using the paint anymore. There are four laps to go.
Hayden, having saved something from a weekend I’m sure he would like to forget, passes Gibernau for 12th and finishes just behind his old teammate Pedrosa in twelve. The race ends with Stoner well in front of Rossi followed by Lorenzo, Edwards, Dovizioso, DeAngelis, Vermeulen, Kallio, Elias and DePuniet to round out the top ten.
We’ll post the Official results as soon as they become available.
