BY RIZWAN REHMAT DOHA: Former world champion Casey Stoner of Australia regaled Qatar fans with a sublime ride to win the first race of the new season at Losail International Circuit yesterday. Riding for new employers for the first time, 25-year-old Stoner powered Repsol Honda Team to a comfortable win in the Commercialbank Grand Prix, the season’s only night race. The Australian edged defending champion Jorge Lorenzo of Yamaha Factory Racing to win with a time of 42 minutes 38.569 seconds. Lorenzo was 3.440 seconds slower than Stoner. The third spot in the 22-lap race went to Stoner’s team-mate Dani Pedrosa, who was 5.051 seconds off the pace set by the Australian. Former world champion, Valentino Rossi of Italy finished in seventh spot after starting the race ninth on the grid. Rossi, who is riding for Ducati in 2011, was 16.431 seconds slower than Stoner. “It couldn’t be better,” Stoner said after the race.

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