2011 MotoGP Round 1 - Qatar (Spoilers)

[Chaos]

Qatar kicks off the MotoGP season!

Yes, I know it's only FP1, but it's interesting to see Ducati find some pace. We'll see if it's just a mirage, or if it's for real. The Hondas remain fastest.

FP 1 times:

1. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda Team 1m 55.752s
2. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 1m 56.362s
3. Hector Barbera ESP Mapfre Aspar Team 1m 56.421s
4. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 56.441s
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1m 56.479s
6. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing 1m 56.493s
7. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing 1m 56.586s
8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 1m 56.592s
9. Randy de Puniet FRA Pramac Racing Team 1m 56.790s
10. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 56.879s
11. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 1m 56.910s
12. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 56.987s
13. Loris Capirossi ITA Pramac Racing Team 1m 57.366s
14. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 57.429s
15. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing 1m 57.821s
16. Alvaro Bautista ESP Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1m 58.528s
17. Toni Elias ESP LCR Honda MotoGP 1m 59.087s

[FriendlyFoe]

stoner is insane, laid down a 1:55.9x in less then the first 10 minutes of practice. He may just run away with it, but if anyone can manage to test him i could see him laying down a new track record.

[murf]

Stoner is always fastest here, he would of won last year but binned it out front

[Chaos]

FP2:

Looks like Honda and Yamaha have stepped up. Suzuki and Ducati are in the bottom half.

1 27 Casey STONER HONDA 1'55.457
2 26 Dani PEDROSA HONDA 1'55.854 0.397 0.397
3 11 Ben SPIES YAMAHA 1'56.116 0.659 0.262
4 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO HONDA 1'56.172 0.715 0.056
5 1 Jorge LORENZO YAMAHA 1'56.220 0.763 0.048
6 5 Colin EDWARDS YAMAHA 1'56.259 0.802 0.039
7 58 Marco SIMONCELLI HONDA 1'56.378 0.921 0.119
8 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW YAMAHA 1'56.518 1.061 0.140
9 46 Valentino ROSSI DUCATI 1'56.532 1.075 0.014
10 69 Nicky HAYDEN DUCATI 1'56.626 1.169 0.094
11 14 Randy DE PUNIET DUCATI 1'56.668 1.211 0.042
12 8 Hector BARBERA DUCATI 1'56.735 1.278 0.067
13 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA HONDA 1'56.790 1.333 0.055
14 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SUZUKI 1'56.833 1.376 0.043
15 65 Loris CAPIROSSI DUCATI 1'57.304 1.847 0.471
16 17 Karel ABRAHAM DUCATI 1'57.683 2.226 0.379
17 24 Toni ELIAS HONDA 1'58.801 3.344 1.118

[Chaos]

First race of the season is over. I know it's just one race, but Stoner/Honda looks like the real deal after a strong testing season. Moreover, Honda looks like the bike to beat - 4 out of the top 5 are factory Hondas. The only non-Honda is Lorenzo, who's also looking strong, with a 2nd place finish. He will definitely win some races this season.

Dovizioso and Simoncelli had a few back and forths - something I suspect we'll see all season. I think this battle will turn into a battle for 4th in the championship by season's end.

Rossi was the strongest Ducati, but he looked mortal against Spies, who eventually passed him and pulled away rather easily.

Elias had a nasty low side. His bike just disappeared from under him on a seemingly straight part of the track. Not sure what happened there.

Race Results:

Pos. 	No. 	Rider  	              Manufacturer 	Time          Diff
1 	27 	Casey STONER 	      HONDA 	        42'38.569 	 
2 	1 	Jorge LORENZO 	      YAMAHA 	        42'42.009 	3.440
3 	26 	Dani PEDROSA 	      HONDA 	        42'43.620 	5.051
4 	4 	Andrea DOVIZIOSO     HONDA 	        42'44.511 	5.942
5 	58 	Marco SIMONCELLI     HONDA 	        42'45.927 	7.358
6 	11 	Ben SPIES 	              YAMAHA        	42'49.037 	10.468
7 	46 	Valentino ROSSI 	      DUCATI 	        42'55.000 	16.431
8 	5 	Colin EDWARDS 	      YAMAHA 	        43'04.862 	26.293
9 	69 	Nicky HAYDEN 	      DUCATI 	        43'05.985 	27.416
10 	7 	Hiroshi AOYAMA 	      HONDA 	        43'07.489 	28.920
11 	35 	Cal CRUTCHLOW 	      YAMAHA 	        43'13.108 	34.539
12 	8 	Hector BARBERA 	      DUCATI 	        43'13.398 	34.829
13 	17 	Karel ABRAHAM 	      DUCATI 	        43'16.526 	37.957
Not Classified
  	24 	Toni ELIAS 	              HONDA 	        35'41.564 	4 laps
  	65 	Loris CAPIROSSI 	      DUCATI 	        2'16.031 	21 laps
  	14 	Randy DE PUNIET             DUCATI