Torrential rain caused the season-opening Qatar MotoGP to be canceled on Sunday, leaving officials and teams in a frenzy before deciding to race on Monday instead at this floodlit desert venue. Monsoon-like conditions, accompanied by swirling winds, arrived just moments before Australia's Casey Stoner, on pole position, was due to lead defending world champion Valentino Rossi and the other riders away on the warm-up lap. “It's just unlucky with the weather,” said Australian Ducati rider Stoner, the 2007 world champion, who was bidding for a third successive win here. “It can be a good idea or it can be a bad idea to race on Monday. A lot of money has been spent on keeping people here at a time when we are trying to cut costs. It's disappointing it's happened like this.” After lengthy negotiations, it was decided to reschedule the race for Monday night at 1800GMT. The decision to call off the race on Sunday will renew controversy over the wisdom of racing at night. Had the rain fallen in the day, at least riders would have been free from the blinding glare caused by the lights bouncing off a soaking wet track. Ironically, it rains on only eight days on average in Qatar each year - and on just one day in April - while summer temperatures can shoot up to a sweltering 45 degrees. “It's a big disappointment,” said Italian Rossi. “We wait six months for the first race of the season. But when you decide to have a night race, it's risky. No-one expected these conditions in Qatar.” Earlier, the 250cc race, which was won by Spain's Hector Barbera, on an Aprilia, had been cut from 20 to 13 laps, and delayed by 40 minutes, as officials scrambled to slot in the showpiece MotoGP for primetime European TV audiences. “The race was very difficult but it's a dream to win,” said Barbera who finished ahead of French duo Jules Cluzel and Mike Di Meglio. Barbera was making his comeback after a serious back injury in Japan cut short his 2008 campaign. Italy's Andrea Iannone was declared the winner of the 125cc race which was halted after only four of the scheduled 18 laps as the track was swamped. Spain's Julian Simon was second with Sandro Cortese of Germany in third. “The race was really short. It would have been too dangerous to race to the end on a track made slippy by the rain and the sand,” said Iannone. “Vision was also reduced because of the reflection of the lights in our visors.”
