STONER IS THIRD IN PRACTICE III AT QATAR

Casey Stoner may have been shuffled from first to third during final practice for the MotoGP season opener in Qatar, but the Repsol Honda rider was far from worried.

Stoner looked on course to complete a perfect practice sweep as he led the way with just minutes of FP3 to go, at which point Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Cal Crutchlow moved ahead after switching to a soft rear tyre.

Stoner was poised to respond, albeit still with the harder rear, only to be held up by slower riders. The Australian's best time was thus set on only his 4th of 13 laps, but he still finished just 0.372sec from Lorenzo.

“Today has been pretty good for us in general,” said Stoner, fastest from the 9th to 41st minute of the final session. 

“We've been able to turn down the electronics a lot more and now I have more feeling and connection with the rear tyre which gave me a lot more confidence. This allowed me to do some good lap times with some pretty old tyres. 

“A few people got in our way throughout the session so we were unable to show what we were really capable of, but we know how we feel and we're confident for qualifying tomorrow."

Team-mate Dani Pedrosa was fifth fastest and suffered a fall in FP2.

"The day wasn't as good for us as we would have liked," said the Spaniard. "I had some problems with the electronics and I couldn't ride at a hundred percent, especially in the exits of the corners where we have more issues. 

"Let's hope the mechanics can find a solution and we can have a good qualifying session tomorrow. 

"The crash in the first session was totally unexpected; it was on my first lap of the second exit and I was not pushing at all. But I escaped unhurt and do it's ok."

crash.net

PRACTICE I RESULT AT LOSAIL QATAR

Qatar is the first event of the new 1000cc MotoGP era and first to feature the new privateer 'Claiming Rule Team' (CRT) class.

The Losail round has a unique four-night format - practice continues on Friday, with qualifying on Saturday, then warm-up and the race on Sunday.


1. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda (RC213V) 1m 56.474s
2. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 56.648s
3. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team (GP12) 1m 56.924s
4. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 56.982s
5. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 1m 57.130s
6. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1) 1m 57.395s
7. Alvaro Bautista ESP San Carlo Honda Gresini (RC213V) 1m 57.512s
8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1) 1m 57.547s
9. Hector Barbera ESP Pramac Racing (GP12) 1m 57.912s
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Team (GP12) 1m 57.914s
11. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (GP12) 1m 57.971s
12. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 1m 58.934s
13. Randy de Puniet FRA Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) 1m 59.985s
14. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (Suter-BMW CRT) 2m 0.044s
15. Michele Pirro ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT) 2m 0.322s
16. Aleix Espargaro ESP Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) 2m 0.720s
17. Ivan Silva ESP Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) 2m 1.138s
18. Mattia Pasini ITA Speed Master (ART CRT) 2m 1.261s
19. Yonny Hernandez COL Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) 2m 1.276s
20. Danilo Petrucci ITA Came IodaRacing (Ioda-Aprilia CRT) 2m 2.487s
21. James Ellison GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT) 2m 3.657s

Official Qatar MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha 1m 53.927s (2008)
Fastest race lap:
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati 1m 55.153s (2008)
CRASHNET

CASEY STONER STILL FACED CHATTER ISSUE AT LOSAIL QATAR

Casey Stoner and his Repsol Honda crew were forced to subdue 'huge' chatter from the world champion's RC213V on their way to setting the Thursday night free practice pace for the season-opening Qatar MotoGP.

The Australian was the only Honda rider in the top four, having moving ahead of Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo on the twelfth of his 13 laps.

Stoner, who has battled chatter issues at the Sepang tests but not at the final pre-season outing in Jerez, said:

“The track tonight wasn't so bad, I expected the conditions to be much worse but in general it was ok. We started this evening with huge chatter issues and I was a little afraid we couldn't fix this, but after a few more exits we managed to reduce it to a more comfortable level.

“This is a positive point for the weekend but with such a short session and then nothing until tomorrow it's slightly strange. It was an ok start tonight, we finished quickest which is good, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow for some real track time and with the conditions a little better and see where we are.”

CASEY STONER: I'm excited to get the season started and fight for another World Championship.”

The 2012 MotoGP™ World Championship officially starts this weekend in Qatar, the small Peninsula off the Persian Gulf, noted for hosting the only race of the calendar under floodlights. The Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar is, without any doubt, one of the most spectacular races of the season.

CASEY STONER : “We've always enjoyed good results at the Losail circuit"

Reigning double MotoGP champion Casey Stoner heads to this weekend's Qatar season opener favourite to take the first win of the new 1000cc era.

The Repsol Honda rider finished top of the timesheets with the new RC213V in all three 2012 pre-season tests, and has won at Qatar four times from six appearances.

The first of those appearances, Stoner's 2006 MotoGP debut, was on a 990cc Honda and he then took his first premier-class win - on his Ducati debut - in the opening race of the 800cc era in 2007.

“After good pre-season tests in both Sepang and Jerez, we head to Qatar feeling positive, but still have some work to do,” said Stoner. “This will be the first time with the new bike on this circuit so we will need to spend some time on the set-up to put ourselves in the best position. 

“We've always enjoyed good results at the Losail circuit but this is a new season and there are more competitors contesting for victory this year. I'm excited to get the season started and fight for another World Championship.”

Yamaha's former champion and 2011 title runner-up Jorge Lorenzo is again expected to provide Stoner's biggest opposition.

First free practice in Qatar will take place at the Losail Circuit on Thursday evening.
source: crashnet

STONER QUITE BIT NERVOUS IN RACING

 Casey Stoner needs no introduction. The fastest man on two wheels begins his quest for a third world championship crown at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar where the inaugural race of the 2012 MotoGP season will take place on April 8. Stoner, 27, who won his first world title in 2007 with Ducati and the second last year with Honda, spoke to Gulf Times Sports Editor Anil John about his childhood, his family and his hobbies in an exclusive interview from Jerez, Spain, where he was fastest in testing earlier this week.Q: Casey, everyone knows about the strides you have made in motorcycling, but tell us what got you interested in the sport and a bit about your childhood in Australia.A: I began riding from a very young age, when I was just 3 years old, and I immediately felt comfortable and happy on a bike. My childhood in Australia was pretty much spent at racetracks, travelling around and competing and then at the age of 14 we moved to England so I could road race, as the legal age in Australia for road racing was 16, not 14 as it was in England.Q: Who were your childhood sporting heroes and who are your heroes now?A: I would say the same now as they were when I was little. Mick Doohan has always been a hero of mine and certainly a great inspiration for my career. What he achieved after the accidents and injuries he endured is something really incredible.Q: Valentino Rossi was virtually the king of motorcycling before you entered the scene. Tell us about your rivalry and about the interaction you have with him.A: I have a lot of respect for Valentino and what he has achieved in the sport. I have always enjoyed racing against him as I do all my competitors. We don’t have much interaction or a relationship, certainly not the kind of friendship I enjoy with Ben (Spies), Dani (Pedrosa) and Jorge (Lorenzo).Q: You have done pretty well in Qatar. What do you think your chances are this time? How have been the testing and the training so far?A: Well we will certainly prepare in the best way to give ourselves the best chance for the race! We have enjoyed good results here in the past but this is a new season, on new bikes so we will have to wait and…

Source:crash.net

STONER BLASTED IN FIRST JEREZ TEST

Reigning double champion Casey Stoner topped the Friday test timesheets at Jerez, as MotoGP began its third and final official pre-season test.

The Repsol Honda rider only moved to the head of the timesheets on his 54th and final lap, but felt the day had gone largely to plan.

CASEY STONER: “This track (Jerez) is too small, especially for these big bikes

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner says the extra horsepower on his new 1000cc Honda RC213V machine makes riding short and tight tracks like Jerez a frustrating experience.

Many people anticipate the new 1000s to be capable of hitting top speeds of more than 220mph at fast tracks like Qatar, Catalunya and Mugello.

But after spending three days riding at the tight Jerez track during the final pre-season test of 2012, the Australian believes the performance of the 1000s is going to be too much for tracks like Jerez and Sachsenring.

Stoner, who topped the timesheets in Jerez to complete his domination of winter testing, told MCN: “This track (Jerez) is too small, especially for these big bikes. You don't need sixth gear. Even in Laguna Seca I think we may have a higher top speed. 

"Here (Jerez) it is frustrating to ride because it is all partial throttle, on-off and then one corner into the next and there is nowhere where you can really use the power of these bikes really well. You are constantly trying to stop wheelies.

"When we get to the tracks that are more open it is going to be a lot more fun to me when you can use the power of these bikes."

CASEY STONER: "it is difficult to gauge the potential of Ducati’s new factory GP12"

Reigning MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner says it is difficult to gauge the potential of Ducati’s new factory GP12 ahead of the start of the new 1000cc era in Qatar next week.

Ducati has rolled out a radically revised concept this season including a new engine position and conventional aluminium twin spar chassis to try and improve front-end performance with the GP12 model.

But an understeer issue that hampered Rossi in 2011 remains and the Italian finished almost a second adrift of Stoner at the end of the final test in Jerez last weekend.

JEREZ TEST MARET 2012