AUSTRALIA'S World motorcycle championship leader Casey Stoner has backed plans for a night MotoGP race.
The Arabian Gulf state of Qatar and MotoGP have beaten Formula One in the race to host the first world championship grand prix night round. Stoner has endorsed the plan subject to final tests to supply suitable floodlighting.
In a landmark deal for world championship motorsport, on two or four wheels, the Qatar night race has been confirmed by Dorna, the MotoGP commercial rights holders.
The Qatar Grand Prix in Doha will staged on Sunday night, March 9, as the opening race of the 2008 season.
This will be six months in advance of the proposed F1 night race set down for Singapore on September 28 next year.
Earlier this year F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone and AGPC chairman Ron Walker revealed a proposal for Melbourne to switch the Australian GP to a night race to better suit European TV audiences.
But the Victorian Government did not take up the offer, reportedly based on the massive cost of floodlighting the Albert Park street circuit.
But Qatar has revealed plans for what will be the world's largest sporting event under lights with 3,700 lighting units to be installed around the 5.3km Doha circuit.
"I remember when I was racing dirt track, I raced at speedway meetings at night and I used to love it,'' Stoner said after learning of the Qatar announcement. "Night racing was some of the most fun racing I've ever done.
"The night race at Qatar could be a really good thing as long as they have enough light and make sure it is safe and is not shining in the riders' eyes.''
The Qatar government will invest millions of dollars with the US company Musco Lighting, who operate the floodlights for major American sports events including NASCAR racing at Daytona and Charlotte Motor Speedways.
"Changing the Qatar race to a night time schedule allows for a better synchronisation with European television schedules, where the race can be made available in the prime time Sunday slot,'' said Carmelo Ezpeleta, the chief executive of Dorna.
"I am proposing a race start of 11pm in Doha which will be absolute prime time of 9pm Sunday in the European TV market. This is a big boost and a landmark moment for MotoGP.''
The move to a night staging at Qatar also avoids the heat wave summer conditions for an afternoon race.
Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Attiyah of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation said: "This project will be great for Qatar's image and it also means our track can be used in the hot summer months and will open up more opportunities for other motorsport events.''
Musco Lighting president Joe Crookham said that 3,700 floodlight fixtures would be installed around the 5.3km Doha Circuit producing lighting standards better than daylight.
