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2018 grand prix of qatar

  • Andrea Dovizioso beat Marc Marquez at the last corner to win the first 2018 MotoGP race.

  • Pole sitter Johann Zarco had to contend with 8th place.

  • Valentino Rossi fought hard and finished 3rd.

Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso made it count when it matters by winning 2018’s opening MotoGP race at the very last corner.

It had looked like France will have her first premier class winner since Regis Laconi in 1999 but the other riders had other plans. Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider and pole sitter Johann Zarco had taken the holeshot from the start and held on tenaciously, fighting off the intentions of first Marc Marquez on the Repsol Honda, then Valentino Rossi on the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP.

Johann Zarco – from MotoGP.com

Rossi then followed Zarco around for a great number of laps until 10 laps to go when he decided to pass Zarco into Turn 1. Unbeknownst to him, however, was Marc Marquez slipstreaming up the inside. When both Zarco and Rossi overbraked into Turn 1, Marquez capitalized and overtook Rossi.

Valentino Rossi – from MotoGP.com

Rossi then either lost his rhythm or made further mistakes and got kicked back to as far as 5th, where he had to battle hard against Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Alex Rins (ECSTAR Suzuki), Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Ducati) and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda).

Alex Rins – from MotoGP.com

Dovizioso had fought all the way to the front soon, passing Marquez but couldn’t find a way past Zarco for a few laps, until 5 laps to go when got into the perfect slipstream position. Dovizioso outbraked Zarco into Turn 1. Marquez was smart to tag behind Dovizioso, counting on the Ducati’s speed to also blast past Zarco.

Dovizioso held an small gap going into the last lap, but Marquez pushed hard to get back onto the back of the Ducati within three corners. As the pair braked for the final turn, Marquez went wide at the exit and Doviziso had a better drive to the finish line.

Marc Marquez – from MotoGP.com

By now it was visible that Zarco’s tyres were cooked as he started fading backwards. Rossi retook third and finished in that position.

Cal Crutchlow had been fast, fought with everyone in the group and held on to fourth at the flag.

Cal Crutchlow – from MotoGP.com

Danilo Petrucci, who had been equally as impressive as the top guys all weekend couldn’t find a way up higher than 3rd and ended in 5th.

Danilo Petrucci – from MotoGP.com

Dani Pedrosa looked promising at the start but fell behind in quick succession by midpoint to come home in 7th.

Dani Pedrosa – from MotoGP.com

Poor Johann Zarco who had worked so hard was packed all the way back in 8th.

The biggest comeback, however, belonged to Maverick Vinalez (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) on the factory Yamaha. He had a difficult weekend, only managing to qualify in 12th, where he pushed all the way back into 6th.

Maverick Vinalez – from MotoGP.com

Hafizh Syahrin had a great start to the season as he finished 14th in his first MotoGP race to earn Malaysia’s first two points in the class.

Hafizh Syahrin – from MotoGP.com
Pos. Points Rider Nation Team Bike Time/Gap
1 25 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team Ducati 42’34.654
2 20 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda +0.027
3 16 Valentino ROSSI ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha +0.797
4 13 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR LCR Honda CASTROL Honda +2.881
5 11 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Alma Pramac Racing Ducati +3.821
6 10 Maverick VIÑALES SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha +3.888
7 9 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda +4.621
8 8 Johann ZARCO FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha +7.112
9 7 Andrea IANNONE ITA Team SUZUKI ECSTAR Suzuki +12.957
10 6 Jack MILLER AUS Alma Pramac Racing Ducati +14.594

 

  • Jorge Martin wins the first Moto3 race of the 2018 MotoGP season.

  • Unlike last year’s race where as many as 17 riders fought for victory, the leading duo broke away from the chasing pack.

  • The Malaysian Petronas Sprinta Racing riders finished 8th and 11th.

Jorge Martin held on to edge out compatriot Aaron Canet to the line, to win the first Moto3 race of the year.

The pair had broken away from the pursuing group from early on to establish a two-horse race. The Losail International Circuit has the longest front straight of any circuit on the GP calendar and Canet had trailed Martin out of the last corner to set up a slipstream pass. But Canet could only show his front wheel alongside Martin just as the latter crossed the line first.

Aaron Canet – Pic from MotoGP.com

The real spectacle, however was the manic battle for third among those in a group of ten riders, including eventual third-placed finisher Lorenzo Dalla Porta, Niccolo Antonelli, Ayumu Sasaki, John McPhee, among others. Gentlemanly racing soon gave way to argy-bargy and paint-swapping hard moves with two laps to go, John McPhee was among the casualties. It was heartbreak for the Scotsman having fought up through the field into the fight for the final podium position.

Ayumu Sasaki – Pic from MotoGP.com

Ayumu Sasaki of the Petronas Sprinta Racing team fought tooth and nail to come away eighth at the checkered flag, having gone as high as fifth. He had lost the slipstream to the group midway through the race but had managed to fight back into the group. Adam Norrodin languished in the 15th to 16th positions all days, but crashes up ahead promoted him up to 11th at the finish.

Adam Norrodin (#7) – Pic from MotoGP.com
Pos. Points Rider Nation Team Bike Time/Gap
1 25 Jorge MARTIN SPA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 Honda 38’18.207
2 20 Aron CANET SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda +0.023
3 16 Lorenzo DALLA PORTA ITA Leopard Racing Honda +6.746
4 13 Niccolò ANTONELLI ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda +6.791
5 11 Gabriel RODRIGO ARG RBA BOE Skull Rider KTM +6.850
6 10 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO ITA Del Conca Gresini Moto3 Honda +6.916
7 9 Kaito TOBA JPN Honda Team Asia Honda +6.946
8 8 Ayumu SASAKI JPN Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda +6.998
9 7 Jakub KORNFEIL CZE Redox PruestelGP KTM +7.156
10 6 Andrea MIGNO ITA Angel Nieto Team Moto3 KTM +7.699

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