Records fall in drama-filled MotoGP of Doha

Fabio Quartararo put together a patient but peerless performance at the Grand Prix of Doha to cross the line almost 1.5 seconds clear of the Pramac Ducati duo of Johann Zarco and rookie Jorge Martin.

And while the headlines went to the history-making French 1-2, the first time ever in the premier class, it was Spanish rookie Martin who led for the first 17 laps of the 22-lap race. Starting from pole position in just his second-ever premier-class race, Martin showed no signs of inexperience as he led the field of the world’s best motorcycle racers.

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Quartararo and his Monster Yamaha teammate Maverick Vinlaes found themselves down in 10th and 11th during the early stages of the race and, while it looked like Vinales was the man on the move by half race distance, it was Quartararo who picked his way through to take second from Zarco before sweeping into the lead just two corners later.

The Ecstar Suzuki pair of Alex Rins and Joan Mir looked threatening in third and sixth place respectively by just the fourth lap. And while Rins cooled his charge to the front after a couple of warning signs from his front end, reigning world champ Mir made an aggressive pass on Aussie Jack Miller (Lenovo Ducati) and apologized, before Miller retaliated and clattered into the side of Suzuki rider on the exit of the final corner. Miller lost two places as a result and Mir lost three, all the while Jorge Martin was still leading and Quartararo had taken fourth.

Drama galore, the top 10 riders were covered by less than two seconds with four laps to go and the top 15 over the line set a new record, separated by 8.928s. Contact between Danilo Petrucci and LCR Honda’s Taka Nakagami left the aerodynamic wings of Petrucci’s Tech 3 KTM RC16 on the track which race leader Quaratarao managed to hit as he tried to keep the Pramac Ducatis behind him. Martin powered back by Quartararo on the long front straight to start lap 19, but Quartararo re-passed the rookie early on in the lap and didn’t look back. As drama continued to unfold behind him, the young Frenchman put his head down and used the agility of his factory YZR-M1 to stretch out a gap, while Zarco used his experience to snatch second from Martin on the final lap.

Rins crossed the line just half a second behind in fourth, holding off round one winner Maverick Vinales with Pecco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) in sixth. Mir crossed the line in seventh ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and Miller, who finished in ninth for the second race in succession. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Gresini) rounded out the top 10.

The Petronas Yamaha woes continued in the desert, with Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi finishing 12th and 16th respectively, while a mistake at three-quarter race distance saw Repsol Honda’s Pol Espargaro run wide leaving him with 13th in the race, one place ahead of teammate Stefan Bradl. LCR Honda rider Alex Marquez crashed out again, with Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM) the only other rider not to see the chequered flag.

The result means Johann Zarco now leads the championship on 40 points, ahead of Quartararo and Vinales who are both on 36. Pecco Bagnaia (26) is in fourth and ahead of Rins (23), Mir (22) and Jorge Martin (17). Aleix Espargaro (15), Miller (14) and Pol Espargaro (11) round out the top 10.

Aussie Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM) celebrated his second-consecutive second-place finish in the 2021 Moto2 world Championship, once again following MarcVDS rider Sam Lowes over the line.

Marco Bezzechi (Sky Racing VR46) got the holeshot from Lowes and Gardner, but the Italian failed to run the pace of the men behind him. And while Gardner’s rookie teammate Raul Fernandez lead his teammate for a couple of laps, a bold move by the Aussie relegated the Spaniard to fourth early on.

Lowes took the lead on the fourth lap of the race and Gardner moved into second place one lap later. The front three streaked away from the field, eking out a 10-second gap at two-thirds race distance. Gardner piled the pressure in the last couple of laps, Lowes had answers for every one of his questions and held on to take a well-deserved victory.

Lowes sits on top of the ladder with a perfect 50 points, ahead of Gardner’s 40 in second. It’s Fernandez in third on 27, ahead of Bezzechi (26) and Fabio di Giannantonio (Federal Oils Gresini) in fifth with 22 points.

In Moto3, rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) has lived up to his preseason hype by becoming the first rider to win a Moto3 race after starting from pitlane.

The 2020 Red Bull Rookies Cup winner was one of seven riders forced to start from pitlane after being charged with irresponsible riding during Friday’s FP2 session, and while eventual second-place peter Darryn Binder (Sprinta Petronas) took the lead on the opening lap of the race, Acosta was down in 22nd.

Acosta was in 20th place with nine laps to go, and he was four seconds behind Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in 21st, but had clawed his way up to 11th with five laps to go. He was up into third with two to go, was leading over the line to start the final lap of the race and, although Binder did everything he could to come to terms with the Spanish youngster, Acosta lead for the entire last lap and crossed the line 0.039s ahead of the South African. Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama) rounded out the podium.

Acosta leads the standings on 45 points ahead of Binder (36) and Red Bull KTM teammate Jaume Masia. Antonelli (26) and GasGas Aspar’s Izan Guevara (16) round out the top five.

The series now heads to Europe for the Portuguese Grand Prix over 16-18 April.