Qatar stages the first race of 2009 on Monday morning (EST) under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit, the first of 17 round to decide who will be king of this year’s premier motorcycle racing class.

And the Rossi- Stoner rivalry will be head-on from race one, in which Rossi will be chasing his first MotoGP race victory after sunset. The Fiat Yamaha rider finished fifth behind Stoner in the corresponding race last year, one of only two races in which he finished off the podium for the year.

"I'm feeling confident," Rossi said.