The night test in Qatar was lead by Valentino Rossi who continues to dominate in this year’s MotoGP pre-season testing.
The Italian Yamaha rider led the entire test except when he stopped for dinner and a massage, and Casey Stoner and Ben Spies out lapped him.
Finished his dinner break Rossi went out and did a best lap in 1.
55.
402 in the final minutes of the session in warm, but very damp conditions.
Casey Stoner was second, a little more than three tenths of second from Rossi, but stopped before the end of the test with problems on his GP10 according to Ducati team manager Vitto Guareschi who called in on Italian TV show Griglia di Partenza.
Stoner’s best lap was done on a used tire that already had 34 laps on it.
Ben Spies was third with his satellite Yamaha.
The American continues to impress everyone in the paddock and finished 0.
553s from Rossi, but suffered a small crash in the final hour of the test, but fortunately did not injure himself.
Fourth was Colin Edwards on the other satellite Yamaha.
The Texas Tornado was more that a second from the top of the chart.
Randy DePuniet was the best Honda rider tonight with his private RC212V, taking fifth place and putting behind him the two factory Honda riders Andrea Dovizioso who was sixth and Dani Pedrosa who continues to have problems adjusting to his Ohlins and finished Day 1 in 10th.
Jorge Lorenzo who is still recovering from his hand injury was seventh, stopping occasionally to rest and make a quick trip to the Clinica Mobile.
Ducati rider Nicky Hayden who ran up to third in the first part of test could not better himself and he too had problems with both his bikes finished in eighth and Mika Kallio was ninth.
Qatar ‘Day’ 1 Test Times:1.
Valentino Rossi 1.
55.
4022.
Casey Stoner 1.
55.
7183.
Ben Spies 1.
55.
9544.
Colin Edwards 1.
56.
5405.
Randy De Puniet 1.
56.
5886.
Andrea Dovizioso 1.
56.
8117.
Jorge Lorenzo 1.
56.
8388.
Nicky Hayden 1.
56.
8559.
Mikka Kallio 1.
56.
92310.
Dani Pedrosa 1.
57.
04711.
Loris Capirossi 1.
57.
09912.
Marco Melandri 1.
57.
60513.
Hector Barbera 1.
57.
82214.
Hiroshi Aoyama 1.
57.
88815.
Marco Simoncelli 1.
57.
89116.
Aleix Espargarò 1.
57.
89717.
Alvaro Bautista 1.
57.
960
