Casey Stoner was today forced to rely heavily on the talent and class that made him a World Champion in order to secure a third row start for the Grand Prix of Portugal following a particularly difficult qualifying practice. It is an unusual situation for Casey and the team, who are used to finding a set-up quickly and taking full advantage of the GP8's potential. The Australian, who was clearly not happy at not being able to challenge for a front position, held a long debrief with his engineers at the end of the session as they formulated a plan for tomorrow's warm-up session. He then gave a firm handshake to each and every one of his mechanics in a show of unity that proves every member of the team is committed to turning around this difficult situation.