Stoner faces a bigger MotoGP challenge

REUTERS: MotoGP champion Casey Stoner will have a bigger challenge in more ways than one this season, even if he is the overwhelming favourite to win the opening floodlit race in Qatar this weekend.

The Australian is chasing his third title in the top category but this time, thanks to the decision to increase engine capacity, on a more powerful 1,000cc machine than the 800cc Honda he triumphed with last year.

His Honda team won the last four races of 2011 and Stoner has set the pace in pre-season testing, lapping fastest on four of the five days in Malaysia and Spain.

The 26-year-old, who won 10 races last season, has also triumphed in four of the last five Qatar Grands Prix with four pole positions.

Despite that formidable record, Stoner still expects this year to be tougher.

"We head to Qatar feeling positive, but still have some work to do," he said in a team preview.

"This will be the first time with the new bike on this circuit so we will need to spend some time on the set-up to put ourselves in the best position.

"We've always enjoyed good results at the Losail circuit but this is a new season and there are more competitors contesting for victory this year."

The bigger engine could also make the racing more spectacular, with greater power surging through the rear wheel.

This year sees the introduction of the Claiming Rule Teams (CRT) concept which allows new entrants to run under lower-cost regulations with a prototype chassis coupled with an affordable production engine.



Riders on such machines include American veteran Colin Edwards with a Suter-BMW for Forward Racing while Britain's James Ellison returns on an Aprilia for the Paul Bird Motorsport former World Superbike team after a five-year absence.



Nine of the 21-strong MotoGP field will be on CRT bikes.