Riding the LCR Honda RC221V, Australian Casey Stoner will start from 15th on the grid when he makes his MotoGP debut in tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Having missed the IRTA test at Jerez two weeks ago, Stoner and the LCR team had start from "zero" for set-up at this track, while also trying for a qualifying time. Despite his lack of track time Stoner posted the fifth fastest time in the morning free practice on race tyres, matching his performance on soft qualifying tyres in the afternoon. The session was red-flagged for 20 minutes on the second lap when an oil spill caused five riders to crash including Valentino Rossi, Shinya Nakano, Randy de Puniet and Toni Elias. Stoner, who much prefers racing to qualifying, has now completed just four hours of practice on a MotoGP bike at Jerez . Even so the 20 year old Australian is looking forward to his premier class debut with the LCR Honda team having fully recovered from the surgery to his right shoulder five weeks ago.

"Because we missed the IRTA test here two weeks ago we lost some direction with the set-up in qualifying this afternoon, both at the front and rear of the bike. Casey was almost as fast on race tyres in the morning session so I know that the potential for the team is much higher but it is difficult without a reference point from testing. We have some modified settings, including new front forks, to try in the warm-up to find a better race set-up. Casey is a strong racer so everyone in the LCR team is looking forward to our MotoGP debut tomorrow."

"I am a little disappointed because I was just as quick on race tyres in the morning sessions as I was on qualifying tyres. I haven't had a lot of track time and it is difficult to try and find a race set-up and qualify all in the one session -- I'm not a one lap wonder and I find it hard to push on qualifying tyres, especially when I'm not comfortable with the set-up. The stoppage for the oil spill upset our plans and we went backwards with the set-up this afternoon, but we have some new forks to try in the warmup tomorrow. I would prefer racing to qualifying, so I'm looking forward to my first MotoGP race with LCR Honda."