2011 Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar

S1, E1: Casey Stoner had a titanic tussle with his Repsol Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa at the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar in the first round of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship to snatch 25 points on his debut ride with Repsol Honda. Pedrosa took the lead from the start of the race and then it was the reigning World Champion, Lorenzo, who took up the mantle as race leader. What followed was fierce between the two Spaniards and Stoner, with the Repsol Hondas eventually pulling an advantage. Stoner and Pedrosa swapped position for the lead on several occasions and at the midway point, the pole sitter, increased his pace and set off for the chequered flag. This left the two Championship rivals from 2010 duelling it out for second place and it was the Yamaha rider who picked up the 20 points with second place. Dovizioso and Simoncelli were involved in a close battle for fourth place throughout the race and it was the Repsol Honda man who prevailed. There was much anticipation surrounding the debut of Valentino Rossi with the Ducati Team. The Italian finished seventh after racing Ben Spies, and having swapped places with the American the Yamaha got the advantage over the Ducati to take sixth place.