Highlights

Stoner looks to shine after perfect start

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-03-22 17:44

Australian youngster Casey Stoner will be out to prove that his maiden MotoGP win in Qatar was no flash in the pan when the championship moves on to Spain this weekend.

The 21-year-old upset the pre-race predictions when he stormed to victory on his Ducati, finishing well ahead of five-times world champion Valentino Rossi and the highly rated Spaniard Dani Pedrosa in the season-opening grand prix at Losail.

"We go into Jerez in pretty good mood after the win," Stoner said this week.

"I'm so happy with the team and everything and I feel we'll get stronger as I get more used to the strengths of the Ducati and the Bridgestones (tyres).

"Qatar was perfect. I was able to set my own pace throughout the race, not pushing too much. At Jerez, I always seem to do reasonably well, never that great, but we'll see how things pan out this time."

Stoner may have upstaged Rossi and Pedrosa at Qatar with the raw power of his Ducati GP7, but the Australian is likely to have a tougher time on the tight and technical Jerez circuit.

Rossi and Pedrosa were the two fastest riders in the final pre-season testing shoot out at Jerez last month and the Italian expects a repetition of the fireworks in Sunday's race.

"Jerez is one of my favourite circuits and I've had some great races there in the past so I hope this is another good year for me," the Yamaha rider said.

"Jerez is always a great party with a fantastic atmosphere, so now I am really looking forward to that and I hope we can give the fans a good show.

BIG BATTLE

"I expect Pedrosa will be very fast there, as he was in the test, and I expect a big battle with him at his home race."

Although Rossi has won six times at the Spanish circuit since his first victory in the 125cc in 1996, last year's race was an appropriate prelude to a luckless season littered with accidents and mechanical problems.

The Italian struggled in qualifying because of the vibration on his Yamaha and was knocked off his bike on the first corner, eventually trailing home in 14th place behind winner Loris Capirossi.

But "The Doctor", who finds himself in the unaccustomed position of having gone five races without a win, believes there will be no repetition of the problems this time round.

"I think Qatar showed that, although we have some areas to improve, our bike is working well and we won't be making the same mistakes as last year," he said.

Pedrosa, who beat Rossi's record as the youngest rider with 50 grand prix podiums with his third place in Qatar, expects a very competitive race.

"Coming at the start of the season it is bound to be a very open race and that could suit the more experienced riders like Rossi," the 21-year-old said.

"But the young riders are also very keen to do well. With the combination of home support and my enthusiasm to do well I hope to come up with a good result."

World champion Nicky Hayden finished back in eighth spot in Qatar, but the American is upbeat about his chances in Jerez.

"It's round two and I'm aiming to fight back strongly after Qatar," he said.

"That was a disappointing result but it's a long championship and I believe I've got the skills to get the job done."