Stoner leads first night practice times in Qatar

The MotoGP riders commenced their final preseason test session at Losail this evening, experiencing for the first time the 5.380 km Qatari track’s awesome new lighting system that will illuminate the first-ever floodlit motorcycle GP on March 9. Casey Stoner turned the fastest lap time on night 1.

Testing began at 6pm following a spectacular ceremony to turn on the unique lighting system, the world’s largest permanent sports floodlighting project. The 5.4 million watt network is powerful enough to light up a road from Doha to Moscow!

Official Lap Times

1. Casey STONER (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:55.330
2. Jorge LORENZO (Fiat Yamaha) 1:56.019
3. Randy DE PUNIET (Honda Lcr) 1:56.062
4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Jir Honda Scot ) 1:56.121
5. James TOSELAND (Yamaha Tech3) 1:56.251
6. Alex DE ANGELIS (Honda San Carlo) 1:56.571
7. John HOPKINS (Kawasaki) 1:56.614
8. Dani PEDROSA (Repsol Honda) 1:56.621
9. Valentino ROSSI (Fiat Yamaha) 1:56.749
10. Colin EDWARDS (Yamaha Tech3) 1:56.762
11. Toni ELIAS (Alice Ducati) 1:57.007
12. Nicky HAYDEN (Repsol Honda) 1:57.010
13. Shinya NAKANO (Honda San Carlo) 1:57.223
14. Chris VERMEULEN (Rizla Suzuki) 1:57.522
15. Loris CAPIROSSI (Rizla Suzuki) 1:57.551
16. Marco MELANDRI (Ducati Marlboro Team) 1:57.593
17. Sylvain GUINTOLI (Alice Ducati) 1:57.644
18. Anthony WEST (Kawasaki) 1:57.787

Circuit Length: 5380 m
Lap Record: 1.56.528 C. Stoner 2007 (Ducati)
Pole Position: 1.55.002 V. Rossi 2007 (Yamaha)