Casey Stoner starts the season with a victory

2007 champion Casey Stoner (Ducati) won the first event of the season at the Grand Prix of Qatar. The Australian was followed by Italian Valentino Rossi and Spanish team mate Jorge Lorenzo. Next GP will take place April 26 in Japan.Australia's 2007 World MotoGP champion Casey Stoner won his third successive Qatar Grand Prix here on Monday in a race that had to be held over from Sunday because of heavy rain.Stoner eased home on his Ducati ahead of 2008 reigning champion Valentino Rossi of Italy who was second on a Yamaha while Rossi's team-mate Jorge Lorenzo of Spain was third.Stoner led from the start with Rossi dropping back to third, though the latter's compatriot Marco Melandri paid for trying to overdo it at the corner of the home straight after the first lap and ended up ploughing into the dirt.He rejoined the race but found himself at the back of the 18 rider field.Rossi moved into second with 20 laps remaining and with a two second deficit on Stoner.