Moto GP weekends are here!

Qatar circuit flooded with light.

Finally the wait to experience the strongest shot of adrenaline is over, because Moto GP weekends are here again!!!

This is it, 2009 season will be like no other season we have seen till now and will never see, given the long list of regulation changes that FIM has proposed for 2009 and recently some more addition to the wishlist for 2010 that I will talk about some other day.

Rossi providing feedback after qualifying

The opening race of Losail Qatar is about to commence in a few hours now, the only night race of Moto GP held in the middle desert, for the second time under the million floodlights that will illuminate the track and make the Singapore night race of F1 seem like a rip off.

Recently awarded as 'Best Grand Prix of 2008' for the fact that its a track built solely for bikes and not compromised in any way by requirements of car racing.

The result of qualifying for today's race was just like everyone has been predicting based on the three official pre-season testing held at Qatar and no one is surprised to see the 2007 world champion Casey Stoner at pole position. Given the kind of performance the Ducati GP9 has been exhibiting with the aid of two of the best riders Stoner & Nicky Hayden, I would not be surprised to see the Italian factory team dominate the GP once again.

Stoner has been the winner of previous two Qatar GP's, seems like its his territory now and there is no one who can take away that from him, unless 'the doctor' who is at 2nd position on the grid can mysteriously make his Yamaha M1 fly. Lets not forget Rossi's new team mate Lorenzo who qualified 3rd for tonight's start.

Stoner during saturday qualifying

Hayden will be starting his 100th race tonight, his debut on the Ducati GP9. Hayden who has been been finding it a little difficult to adjust to the new Ducati but never the less has been really quick in all the testing sessions. Unfortunately Hayden suffered a huge high-speed crash at turn 2 at the end of qualifying session and hence has qualified only 16th for the start.

One more man to look out for is the new Repsol Honda rider Dovizioso, qualified to start at the 4th position on the grid. Dani Pedrosa has been recovering from the injuries he carries from the testing sessions once again just like 2008.

So keep those revs high and be prepared to feel those senses tingle as we experience the start of the Moto GP!

Qualifying results:

Pos. Rider Team Lap time
1 C. STONER Ducati Marlboro Team 1'55.286
2 V. ROSSI Fiat Yamaha Team 0.473
3 J. LORENZO Fiat Yamaha Team 0.497
4 A. DOVIZIOSO Repsol Honda Team 0.691
5 L. CAPIROSSI Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 0.863
6 C. EDWARDS Monster Yamaha Tech 3 0.908
7 R. DE PUNIET LCR Honda MotoGP 1.072
8 C. VERMEULEN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1.207
9 A. DE ANGELIS San Carlo Honda Gresini 1.504
10 M. KALLIO Pramac Racing 1.566
11 M. MELANDRI Hayate Racing Team 1.676
12 T. ELIAS San Carlo Honda Gresini 1.939
13 J. TOSELAND Monster Yamaha Tech 3 2.224
14 D. PEDROSA Repsol Honda Team 2.443
15 S. GIBERNAU Grupo Francisco Hernando 2.613
16 N. HAYDEN Ducati Marlboro Team 2.929
17 Y. TAKAHASHI Scot Racing Team MotoGP 3.498
18 N. CANEPA Pramac Racing 3.713