[kropotkin thinks...] - 2009 MotoGP Qatar Race Report - Rain Of Terror

[Ninjette Newsbot]

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It's been a long winter. It's been five and a half months since the MotoGP bikes burnt rubber in anger on a race track, with only the amuse-bouche of the official IRTA Test at Jerez two weeks ago to still MotoGP fans' hunger. And with the winter test schedule curtailed as part of the extensive package of cost-cutting measures introduced after the global economic crisis blindsided MotoGP - along with the rest of the world, so it seems - even the scraps gleaned from testing were fewer and further between.

So the sense of excitement at the MotoGP season finally getting underway at Qatar was palpable, and the buzz of interest echoed around the internet, in bike clubs, on rideouts, and in workshops. Further encouraging the chatter were the myriad changes to the series: New riders had entered the class, as well as an old one, in the shape of Sete Gibernau, making his return to racing after a two-year layoff; New tire rules had been introduced - for the third year running - with Bridgestone now the sole supplier, only 20 tires and two compounds available for each rider, and no more special, sticky qualifying tires; Other rules had also been changed, with the Friday morning practice dropped, and the remaining sessions cut from 60 minutes to just 45, effectively halving practice time, and a minimum engine life to be enforced in the second half of the season.

Anyone wondering how the changes would affect the weekend saw their question answered immediately. Within seconds of the pit lane opening, a whole gaggle of riders took to the track, eager to maximize every second of setup time available to them. It looked a lot less like MotoGP practice and more like a 125 session, where the short practice sessions - and large grids - guarantee that there is always some action on track somewhere. But after the two free practice sessions, MotoGP looked remarkably familiar: Casey Stoner had shot to the top of the timesheets from his first full lap out of the pits, and barely relinquished his spot there. Valentino Rossi was the only rider capable of getting close to Stoner's times, while the Yamahas of Jorge Lorenzo and Colin Edwards were the best of the rest.

The only person missing from the front was the man who had swapped last year's #2 plate for #3, Dani Pedrosa. The diminutive Spaniard had fractured his wrist and reopened an old knee injury in a monster highside testing at Qatar in February. Since then, his knee had been immobilized, and Pedrosa himself estimated his fitness at "70, maybe 80%". But he had not come to Qatar to win, just to limit the damage in what promises to be a very tough championship race indeed. After two sessions, Pedrosa was gaining strength and speed, and looking more competitive than expected.

Sticky Substitute

Qualifying was the next big mystery. Before the super-sticky qualifying tires were scrapped, the qualifying practice always played out to a set script. The first half hour would be spent on setup, then the first qualifiers would start to go on, until the final 10 minutes turned into a hectic dash to set a single hot lap. With only race tires available, that would surely change, right?

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