The first MotoGP 2011 qualifying session in Qatar saw Casey Stoner absolutely blow away the competition even beating his own amazing 2007 debut on the Ducati, when the specially made qualifying tires were still being used.
Stoner’s blistering lap of 1’54″137 earned him his 27th pole postion of his career and once again confirmed why the Aussie is the known as the King of Qatar and clearly the man to beat in tomorrow night’s race, because not only was he fastest on the softer spec tires, his race pace on hard used tires also seems to be unbeatable.
The only rider who could conceivably worry Stoner is his team mate Dani Pedrosa, who took the second spot on the starting grid and was just 0.
205s slower, but everyone knows the Spaniard’s starts are lightning fast when the lights go out.
Next to the Repsol Honda’s in third will be reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, who was more than 0.
81os from Stoner’s best lap, but the Yamaha rider seemed happy enough as he denied Gresini’s Marco Simoncelli a start on the front row by a mere 0.
041s.
Ben Spies was fifth, followed by Hector Barbera who once again the fastest Ducati rider on track and on a satellite bike at that, while Andrea Dovizioso on the third Repsol Honda was sixth.
Rookie Cal Crutchlow defying the pain from his finger, qualified seventh putting behind him such veterans as his own team mate Colin Edwards (10th) and Valentino Rossi.
Rossi could manage only a very disappointing 9th and a massive 1.
5 seconds from Stoner.
Randy de Puniet on the Pramac Ducati was eleventh and Hiroshi Aoyama who had high hopes after the practice sessions, qualified in 12th.
If Rossi was slow on the Desmosedici, his team mate Nicky Hayden was a snail, only 13th followed by Loris Capirossi, Karel Abraham and Toni Elias, who was again dead last.
MotoGP Qatar Qualifying Results:01- Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 1’54.
13702- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.
20503- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
81004- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 0.
85105- Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.
95806- Hector Barbera – Mapfre Aspar Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
08607- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 1.
09208- Cal Crutchlow – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
44109- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
50010- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 1.
51011- Randy De Puniet – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
51912- Hiroshi Aoyama – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 1.
58713- Nicky Hayden – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.
74414- Loris Capirossi – Pramac Racing Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
18615- Karel Abraham – Cardion AB Motoracing – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 2.
52816- Toni Elias – LCR Honda MotoGP – Honda RC212V – + 3.
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