Japanese Grand Prix - Preview

Given the suspense and excitement that preceded the opening round of the 2009 MotoGP World Championship, a fact exacerbated by the weather related delay to Monday, there was a slight sense of inevitability about the result in Qatar.

Just as he had threatened during pre-season testing, Casey Stoner was unstoppable at Losail, the Australian's wrist injury a distant memory as he swept to a very comfortable victory for Ducati.

However, Qatar has always been a happy hunting ground for Stoner and 2008 is a case point that a successful start doesn't necessarily give way to a successful season.

It means the second round of the championship at Motegi will probably be more indicative of how this year's title race plays out - not least because this is where Valentino Rossi secured his sixth title just a few months ago.

Having played host to one of the latter 2008 rounds, the Japanese Grand Prix is moved to the beginning of the year in 2009, Rossi winning his first four-stroke race around the Honda-built circuit last season to secure himself another trophy.

Beating his arch-rival in a straight fight, the Yamaha rider will have high hopes of taking the fight to Stoner again in Japan, who in turn will be determined to maintain his perfect start to the season.

Eager to snatch it from under their noses will be Jorge Lorenzo, who recorded pole position on his MotoGP Motegi debut. The Spaniard endured a solid start to the season in Qatar, following Rossi home in third position, but was never quite able to match their pace in the race. Finishing in fourth position last season, Motegi is a venue Lorenzo has never tasted the winner's champagne.

Rivals Ducati and Honda, meanwhile, are hopeful Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden will have returned to full fitness in Japan after difficult experiences in Qatar.

Hayden did a fine job to finish in 12th position in Qatar following his spectacular accident during qualifying, one that landed him in hospital and almost out of the race. Nonetheless, despite his ailments, he fought back to score a few crucial points on his Ducati debut and his 100th race.

Pedrosa, meanwhile, continues to recover from his hand and knee surgery, but the Repsol team are confident he will be back to full strength at Motegi, where he posted one of his more convincing performances in 2008 following a late-season switch to Bridgestone tyres.

Assuming the role of Honda's lead representative in Qatar with a fifth place finish, team-mate Andrea Dovizioso arrives at Motegi eager to impress his new employers on their home ground. A former 125GP winner in Japan, Dovizioso will be charged with fighting for a podium in arguably one of his most important races of the season.

Having shown considerable promise in testing, Rizla Suzuki came away from Qatar disappointed with one non-finish and a seventh place for Chris Vermeulen. With Motegi also representing the team's home race, Loris Capirossi was certainly on form before he fell at Losail, while sixth in Japan last season will give him hope that the GSV-R will continue to prove competitive.

Of the satellite entities, Tech 3 Yamaha got the better of their rivals with Colin Edwards' impressive run to fourth position. Building on his decent showing pre-season, his event was certainly more prosperous than that of team-mate James Toseland's, whose interrupted winter period gave way to a disappointing race finish. Finishing 11th in 2008, he will be targeting a return to the top ten in Japan.

Elsewhere, Alex de Angelis and Mika Kallio were the surprise packages in Qatar, the former finishing comfortably ahead of his Gresini team-mate Toni Elias in sixth, while the latter was the quickest rookie of the weekend for Pramac Ducati. Kallio will have high hopes for Motegi too having won there on three occasions as a 125 and 250GP rider.

A great qualifying performance by Randy de Puniet gave way to a slightly disappointing finish oftenth in Qatar, but the distinctively liveried LCR Honda certainly looks to be an improvement over last year's effort, while Marco Melandri hinted at what Kawasaki could be missing in 2009 after showing top ten pace on the new Hayate. Both will be looking to build on their strong performances in Japan.

The World 250 cc Champion Marco Simoncelli hopes to return to the action after missing the first defence of his title in Qatar. The 22 year old Metis Gilera rider broke his wrist in a motocross training accident just a week before the opening round. The Italian had a screw inserted to knit the bones together but despite practicing could not qualify or race in Qatar.

While he was absent Hector Barbara scored a superb victory in the race which was reduced to 13 laps. The 22 year old Spaniard makes an emotional return to Motegi. Less than sixth months ago Barbara, who won the 125 cc race in Motegi six years ago, broke his back in a qualifying accident at the Japanese circuit and he returns on Sunday to allay a few ghosts and repeat his Qatar victory. His biggest threat will come from Japanese Honda rider Hiroshi Aoyama, who was fourth in Qatar but has won twice at Motegi and Championship runner-up Alvaro Bautista who was a disappointing seventh in Qatar.

The 125 cc riders got the rough end of the rain in Qatar with a four lap race and the award of half World Championship points for their efforts. Hopefully normal service will be resumed on Sunday where Qatar winner Andrea Iannone's Championship lead will come under pressure from the Bancaja Aspar Aprilia pair of Julian Simon and Bradley Smith plus last year's winner Stefan Bradl.