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Stoner defeats Rossi in Qatar GP

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DOHA, Qatar -- Casey Stoner won a cat-and-mouse battle with Valentino Rossi to take victory in the season-opening Qatar MotoGP.

The pair, who started at the front of the grid, traded the lead throughout the race with Australian Stoner finally prevailing for his first MotoGP win.

Rossi's Yamaha was superior on the turns but Stoner's Ducati gave him the edge with awesome straight-line speed.

Reigning champion Nicky Hayden looked ill at ease on the new Honda and finished down in eighth place.

Hayden's team-mate Dani Pedrosa won a hard-fought battle with American John Hopkins to take third place.

Rossi started on pole and held the lead until the end of the first lap when Stoner's power down the straight propelled him past the Italian. From then on, the pair shared the lead and began to pull away from Spaniard Pedrosa.

Stoner held the lead for the majority of the second half of the race and when Rossi tried to make a move with four laps to go, Stoner immediately went back in front.

The 21-year-old then put in his fastest lap on the last circuit of the track to claim victory. "We struggled in a few parts of the track during the race where Valentino was a bit quicker but I just used what we had to our advantage," said the Australian.

Five-times champion Rossi was more than satisfied with his start to the season. "The Yamaha was well balanced and took the corners well," said the 28-year-old. "I am happy because we made the right tyre choice. Obviously a win would have been better but second is not so bad."

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