World Champion Casey Stoner headed the field as Moto GP staged its first night test at the Losail circuit in Qatar.

The 22-year-old Australian looked in imperious form as the field took to the track under floodlights, as he went around the track in 1:55.330, 0.689 seconds faster than any of his rivals, holding the top spot for most of the night.

Afterwards, he compared the experience of riding to playing his favourite computer game.

"The first impression is like playing on the videogame 'Need for Speed'," said Stoner, who broke his victory duck at the same circuit last year. "It's definitely a lot different to what we're used to. It's not better or worse, just different.

"The most interesting thing is that with lower visibility, at least with regard to the imperfections on the track, you have to have more confidence than your instinct tells you to have. It's not a bad start though."

Leading the charge were the Yamaha team, but it was surprisingly rookie Jorge Lorenzo rather than Valentino Rossi.

Randy de Puniet re-discovered the form he showed in the Sepang test late last year with the third best time on his LCR Honda, and it was the fellow non-factory Honda of rookie Andrea Dovizioso who followed him.

Fifth fastest was Britain's James Toseland, who was happy with the feeling of his Tech-3 Yamaha in the conditions, despite still riding with the aftermath of the twisted ankle he suffered at Jerez last week.

"It's been a strange build-up to a test because I feel like I've started a night shift," said Toseland. "Getting your body fired up when it wants to shut down is very hard.

"The first evening went well and I ran second behind Casey for most of the session. I'm still learning the way that the Yamaha wants to be ridden and adapting to that technique."

Sixth was Alex de Angelis on the best of the Gresini Hondas while John Hopkins and Dani Pedrosa were next up.

Both the Kawasaki and Repsol Honda riders are still recovering from major injuries sustained in tests earlier this year, and will improve their form closer to the start of the season.

Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards completed the top ten for the Yamaha and Tech-3 Yamaha teams, while Kawasaki's Anthony West was the only crasher during the session.

West said: "The bike felt really good and I started pushing a bit hard, which caused me to crash. I lost the front at the last corner and I'm a bit bruised, but no major problems."

Jamie O'Leary / Eurosport