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MotoGP Qatar
- Thread starter KUCIAR666
- Start date
KUCIAR666
Registered User
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP is Ready for 2015 Season Racing Action
After more than four months since the last GP, the waiting is finally over. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP heads to Qatar to kick off the first MotoGP Grand Prix weekend of the 2015 season this weekend, held under the famous floodlights of the Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar.
It was only a week ago when riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo were at the Losail International Circuit to complete the final pre-season test, which was cut short due to a sudden rainstorm.
Despite this unfortunate turn of events, both riders had very positive results during the winter tests. The 2015 YZR-M1, with a new gearbox, has shown great promise in both Qatar and Sepang and the teammates find themselves in good shape for this season?s title challenge.
Nine-time World Champion Rossi is looking forward to riding at the Losail circuit and is ready to put on a show like he did in the previous two years when he had some fantastic battles with rival Marc Marquez. This year the Doctor aims to further improve his already great record of three wins and four second places at the opening round.
Teammate Lorenzo also arrives in Doha with great confidence and is eager to fight for victory at the starting race. The double premier class World Champion certainly knows his way around the track, having taken Qatar victory in 2012 and 2013. He also claimed second place in 2008, 2010 and 2011, and secured third place in 2009.
The Losail International Circuit was built in little over a year on the outskirts of Doha, before being added to the MotoGP calendar in 2004. It wasn?t until four years later that the track became the first and only circuit in MotoGP to host a night-time Grand Prix. The MotoGP field will race 22 laps on the 5.4km track.
The combination of medium and high-speed corners and the fast flowing nature of the circuit is well-suited for the nimble YZR-M1, while the iconic, over a kilometre long, main straight and steep first corner are bound to cause some spectacle when twenty-five riders dive into the first corner together for the first time this season.
As the only night race of the year, the schedule of the race weekend is slightly different from the usual. Besides the Friday Free Practice session there will be an extra session on Thursday to make sure riders are ready for action.
Valentino Rossi
?I am very happy to leave for the first race of the season after many days of testing. I am very satisfied about the tests. The bike has improved a lot, but we still have a lot of work to do. Unfortunately we could not finish the test due to rain and it will be important to resume work on the bike where we had stopped. It seems that in Qatar there will be many fast riders, so we?ll all be very close in times. At least that's what the tests told us. I am very excited to start this season. I'm ready, I feel good and also my team is ready. They are all very motivated!?
Valentino Rossi
Jorge Lorenzo
?The pre-season is over and I look forward to racing as soon as possible. We?ve completed a very positive preseason with some benefits in terms of new, mechanical parts and also in terms of performance. We did a great job in both the Sepang tests and we got some clear ideas how to improve the bike. Then we visited Qatar a few days ago but unfortunately there, a track that usually suits our YZR-M1 better, we struggled a bit to get the best set-up. Finally we lost the final day because of the rain and that was a pity, but now we face the first challenge of the championship, the real game, and we go to Losail eager to fight for the first victory. I want to forget what happened there one year ago with the crash in the first lap of the race. Fortunately this year we?ll arrive in a better shape and we can do even better in the first part of the season so we are quite positive for the starting race.?
Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
?After the winter tests we are finally going to kick off the championship and we?re really looking forward to it. We had some good tests in Sepang and Qatar so we are ready to begin. We are going to start from where we stopped last week, so our schedule is already set. Because of the rain on the last day of testing in Qatar last week we couldn?t test what we wanted to prepare, so that?s going to be our starting point. Losail is a circuit that suits the Yamaha well so for this reason we are feeling very confident and so are the riders. Vale and Jorge are in great physical shape and the team is excited too. The competition is going to be closer than ever this year, so fans can expect really exciting racing from the first round. Let?s start the season!?
2015 season arrives for Tech3 duo as the floodlights turn on at Qatar
The long wait is finally over as the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team looks positively towards the opening race of the 2015 MotoGP World Championship this weekend in Qatar. The 18 round season battle commences at the unique Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar and after a confidence boosting pre season, both Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith are delighted to be heading back to the track.
Pol Espargaro intends to show his speed and continue challenging to be the top satellite MotoGP rider after clinching that title in his debut last season. The 2013 Moto2 World Champion now sets his sights on a positive opening performance in Qatar where he will seek to plug the gap to the leading bikes in the fiercely contested premier class of motorcycle racing. Meanwhile, Bradley Smith produced glimpses of his high potential for the forthcoming year with a number of convincing performances in testing. The British rider who claimed a maiden rostrum in Australia in 2014, aims to kick start his 2015 campaign with a strong performance at the 22 lap battle around the 5400 metre Losail International circuit.
Bradley Smith
?Obviously, I am thrilled that we are racing again this weekend and it?s so good to get back on track! My off season was very productive and I did a lot of training to ensure that I am as prepared as possible for this year. I am also pleased with what we accomplished in the testing and I am excited about the potential of the Yamaha, plus the team and I did a lot of work, which I must thank them for. Realistically, there will be a few more tweaks that we need to do when we arrive, but we must hit the ground running and make the most of the available practice time in order to prepare for Sunday. I am confident of a good result here and will certainly be looking to battle as close as possible to the factory bikes. I?m already gritting my teeth with anticipation for Sunday?s race and I can?t wait to get going.?
Pol Espargaro
?It?s finally time to get the wheels in motion for 2015 and I am very excited to contest in the first race. We have had a positive pre season and the bike is at a level that I am happy with, but of course it will be a challenging race and this year, I am under no illusions that it will be easy to finish close to the front. There will be a lot more riders who can fight for podiums and top positions when compared to the previous years. Having said that, I will do nothing but my best. The team did a great job over the winter so now it?s up to me and I am ready. Qatar is always special as it?s the only night race, which is really interesting and different for the MotoGP riders. I look forward to getting back on the Yamaha YZR-M1 and then giving my all to seize a good result which will set me up confidently for the next GP?s.?
The spotlights are on in Qatar for the Athin? Forward Racing team
After a winter of work and testing in Malaysia, Qatar and Spain, it is time for Athin? Forward Racing to get on track for the first race of the season in Qatar.
In MotoGP, Stefan Bradl and Loris Baz are aiming to lead the Open class since this first race. The German, despite a difficult test in Qatar, is feeling comfortable riding the Yamaha Forward and aims to be competitive since the early rounds. His teammate Baz is also confident on his bike and targets to be fighting for the head of the pack by summer.
Stefan Bradl
?After a winter of testing, I?m really happy to be back on track for the race. It was an intense pre-season: I came to a new team and I had to become familiar with a completely different bike compared to last year. The overall feeling is positive and I look forward to ride the Yamaha Forward. As mentioned, the goal is to be able to approach the head of the Open class and try to win the title in this category.?
Loris Baz
?It?s finally time of my MotoGP premiere. I worked really hard to be able to get ready for this race. I had to learn everything about this bike: the carbon discs, the brakes, the new tires and strengthen my muscles to adapt my driving style to the Yamaha Forward. The goal is to try to get close to my rivals in the Open class by summer. I am confident and at the same time anxious to get on track in Qatar.?
KUCIAR666
Registered User
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR READY FOR QATAR OPENER
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vi?ales are eager to get out on-track for this weekend?s opening round of the 2015 MotoGP? World Championship at Losail in Qatar.
The event marks Suzuki?s first official full-season return to motorcycling?s premier class after a three-year break, during which time the Japanese factory has worked hard behind-the-scenes to develop the brand-new GSX-RR.
Espargaro and Vi?ales have already given good feedback on their new machines following positive tests in Valencia in Spain last year, Sepang in Malaysia in February and at Qatar a fortnight ago; and both are comfortable with the GSX-RR chassis and their individual set-ups after working on refining the electronics and the power-deliveries of their machines.
Aleix Espargaro:
?The right word to describe my feelings is that I?m excited! To start the new season with such a great team is incredible for me. There have been three years of hard work, the whole crew is amazing, the machine is performing well and everything is like a dream to me. I can?t wait to be on the grid waiting for the green light.
?During winter tests we had the chance to discover what?s good and what has to be improved on the bike. I feel confident with the chassis and set-up, and while we lack a little traction, this is the main issue we?re focusing on right now. We will spend the early two sessions of practice to finish the job we were going to do in the rained-off Qatar Test and then we will focus on finding a good pace for the race: especially on Friday, when I will try ? if not a real race simulation ? then at least a 12-15 lap-long-run.
?Fitness-wise I feel pretty good. My knee is getting better and better and my physiotherapy is giving me good results. Our main objective here is not to make any mistakes and to take things step-by-step. We know our potential, but we also know where we need to improve, so the important thing is to do the right things, get well into the points - hopefully within the top-eight - and then look at the season as a whole.?
Maverick Vi?ales:
?During the previous test in Qatar we have worked very well with the hard-tyre in order to get ready for the race. For sure we still have lots of room for improvement and we will try something new also in free practice tomorrow. Right now the time is short and the race weekend is very different from testing, but I feel enthusiastic in facing my competitors for the first time. In free practice we will mainly work to find a good pace, while we will work on a single fast-lap more in qualifying to gain the best position available.
?We have time to improve, now I have to get experience on the machine to understand the new class and new competitors, plus the MotoGP qualifying procedure is new for me. Therefore for this race my objective is to get into the points and to be as competitive as I can without compromising the development job we still have to do. We are making steps of improvement each time we ride, so I have a good feeling about our potential.
?Right now we can?t aim to win and we have to be realistic and to keep on with the approach plan that we have embarked upon. To me this will be a debut. I?m pretty young, but I have a strong team behind me so right now I?m not scared at all of this new adventure as I feel confident and excited to test my machine?s and my own capabilities in the races.?
KUCIAR666
Registered User
Campaign Begins as MotoGP Brings Light to the Desert Night
Honda?s campaign to secure a third successive MotoGP triple crown ? Rider, Constructor and Team World Championships ? opens under floodlights in the desert this weekend, as the Qatar GP again kicks off the MotoGP championship as the first of 18 rounds.
The race is uniquely held at night under floodlights at the purpose-built Losail International Circuit. And the Repsol Honda Team?s double MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez is expected to lead the eight-strong Honda horde in the attempt to add a third title in a row to his ever-growing personal trophy cabinet.
Former 125cc and double 250cc champion Dani Pedrosa rides the second factory-backed Repsol Honda Team RC213V; with two more riders on the dominant machine, and the remaining four on the upgraded Open category RC213V-RS production version of the awesome V4 MotoGP prototype.
Marquez, 22, from Cervera in Spain, had already claimed the 125cc and Moto2 titles when he moved to the top class in 2013, where he blazed his way to a classic rookie championship win. In 2014, he added another 13 race wins to bring his class total to 19, and to prove his victory was in no way beginner?s luck. He secured his second straight championship at Honda?s home circuit of Motegi, with three races to spare.
Last year?s title run started with a come-back from pre-season injury, but in spite of missing test sessions Marquez took the win at Qatar, the first of ten in a row as he marched confidently to series victory. This year the defending champion is fully fit, and dominated three out of four pre-season tests, before placing a close second at the final tests at Losail, when rain on day three spoiled his chances of making it a full house.
Marquez has a total of four rostrum finishes in five attempts at Losail, including a win in Moto2 as well as last year?s MotoGP victory.
Pedrosa challenged for the title last year, but dropped to a close fourth overall after several misfortunes later in the season. Now in his tenth season on the factory Repsol Honda Team, the 29-year-old from outside Barcelona has never been lower than fifth overall, including three second and three third spots, amassing 26 GP wins in the process.
His Qatar record includes second place on a 250cc Honda, and he has three times been third in the premier class. 2015 represents another chance to claim that long-awaited first Losail race win, and title victory.
The other pair of Factory Option RC213Vs are fielded by riders new to the machine.
British former World Supersport champion Cal Crutchlow is new to Honda, after three years on a satellite Yamaha and one on a factory Ducati. Crutchlow is the lead rider in the LCR team, expanded to two riders this season, thanks to new backing from British title sponsors CWM.
An aggressive rider with a strong reputation and seven podium finishes, he has gained familiarity with the powerful RCV213V during the test sessions, improving in both confidence and speed to place seventh in the final tests at Losail. Crutchlow has twice been in the top five at the desert race.
The second RCV213V goes to another English rider, former Moto2 star Scott Redding, who made his premier-class debut last year, finishing the top of four riders on the first version of the Open Honda. Redding rides for the new Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Honda team, and has rapidly come to grips with his more powerful mount.
The Open Honda has undergone a major upgrade for its second season, and the four riders campaigning the renamed RC213V-RS range from former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden to class rookie Jack Miller, who has made a sensational jump to the premier class direct from Moto3, bypassing the usual Moto2 learning curve.
Veteran racer Hayden rides again for the Drive M7 Aspar Honda team, where he is joined by class rookie Eugene Laverty, a former 250-class GP racer who returns to the series after a successful spell in World Superbikes. Hayden has a good record at Losail, including second in 2006 and third in 2005.
Czech law graduate Karel Abraham returns on an Open Honda in his own independent Cardion AB Motoracing team, and scored points at Losail in 2011 and 2014.
All eyes will be on 20-year-old Miller, in his first MotoGP race. Winner here last year in Moto3, the talented Australian was narrowly defeated for the title by Honda?s Alex Marquez. He is team-mate to Crutchlow in the CWM LCR Honda squad.
Honda face the usual strong challenge from Yamaha in MotoGP, and a renewed threat from Ducati: while Suzuki and Aprilia have both returned to the entry lists, promising a lively season to come.
The 5.38-km Losail circuit, with ten right hand corners and six lefts, is designed with a priority on motorcycle safety. Extensive run-off areas are surrounded by artificial grass, to reduce the sand blown onto the track by the desert winds, a constant problem at Qatar for traction and tire wear. The 1.068-km start-finish straight is one of the longest on the calendar, with speeds approaching 350 km/h.
The first Grand Prix was run in the blistering daytime heat in 2004, while the first night race under lights was in 2008. The 3,600 floodlighting fixtures made Losail the largest permanent sports-lighting project in the world, and at night the circuit is visible for miles in every direction.
Uniquely the Qatar GP is a four-day weekend. Moto3 practice begins at 6:00 p.m. (GMT +3) on Thursday evening, with the first MotoGP race of the season on Sunday night at 9:00 p.m.
From Qatar, the MotoGP circus crosses the Atlantic for two consecutive races in North and South America. Round two is at Austin, Texas on April 12, with Argentina?s Termas de Rio Hondo circuit one week later.
Honda MotoGP rider quotes
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
?I can?t wait for the season to begin! It?s been a long winter and then testing was cut short in Qatar last week due to rain, which was very strange, but I?m confident going into this first race. This circuit isn?t one of my favorites but it?s still fun to ride and it marks the beginning of the championship which is great. Let?s see how the conditions are after all the rain last week. As usual it will take a few sessions of the different classes on track to clear the racing line and then we will see how the grip level is. There are a lot of fast riders on fast bikes ? as we saw during testing ? so this first race weekend will be interesting for sure!?
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team
?Unfortunately, our testing programme in Qatar ended early due to the weather last week but overall I?m confident and happy to get the season started. Since Valencia the bike has improved a lot, so I thank HRC for all their work, and also my team ? where we have some new members this year ? have also clicked together more and we have a good working momentum. This first race weekend is always a little tough to get back into the rhythm and also with it being stretched over four days instead of three is quite tiresome. However, now we?re ready to get out on track and put all our hard work to the test.?
Cal Crutchlow, CWM LCR
?I have trained a lot in the winter-time, and test after test my feeling with the RCV increased. I think we have done a good job in the winter tests and I reached the point where I can go pretty fast with the Honda. At the Qatar test we missed some longer runs due to the rain so we have extra work to do there in the next days. Anyway we start the season with a good base and we are looking forward to the first round of the season.?
Scott Redding, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
?In an ideal world we?d have got the last day of testing in Qatar done, rather than sitting in the box watching the rain, but it was the same for everyone. I was on a good level at the test and we had some changes to make on the final day that we knew would bring improvements but, unfortunately, we didn?t get the chance to test them because of the weather. I?m feeling positive going into the Qatar race. I?m still learning with the Honda RC213V, so I?m only going to get faster and, when you look at how close the lap times were during the final test, I think a finish inside the top six or seven is a realistic goal for me this weekend.?
Nicky Hayden, Drive M7 Aspar
?The show is about to start and we are ready for a new season. Obviously I am not a rookie any more but I still feel the same level of excitement and I have the same desire as I do every season. We have a huge challenge on our hands so I am looking forward to getting started in the first race of the year. As we have seen during the pre-season the level in MotoGP this year is extremely high, which I think is a good thing for the championship. I really like the Losail circuit, it is fun to ride. It can be a little dirty at first but the grip improves as the weekend progresses and it is always fun to ride at night. The team have done a great job over the winter and we have made strong progress. Clearly we still need to work on some areas, especially with the electronics, but hopefully I can do a good job in Qatar to make the team and my fans proud.?
Eugene Laverty, Drive M7 Aspar
?Pre-season testing has gone really well as we?ve made steady progress every time that I?ve ridden the bike. I?ve gelled really well with both the Open Honda and the Drive M7 Aspar Team so I?m excited about the challenge that lies ahead of us. The final test at Losail finished really well, which bodes well for round one at the same circuit. It is difficult to say what my goal is in terms of overall position because the field is so strong this season. However, within the Open category I want to be fighting for the top three positions from the beginning. I enjoy the Losail circuit and our bike suits the circuit very well so I want to start the season with a strong result.?
Karel Abraham, Cardion AB Motoracing
?I was very satisfied with the last test at Losail with the great new Honda. I made the top ten on day two, top Open bike. I had expected to be better than in Sepang, because I like the Qatar circuit more, and we could focus on improving from previous tests, where we had been gradually learning to work with new components such as brakes and suspension. And we did it really well. We did our fastest lap on the ?race combination? of soft front and hard rear tire and this is really positive. We feel ready for the beginning of the season.?
Jack Miller, CWM LCR
?I am very excited! For sure I will be a bit scared on the starting grid on Sunday night but after a couple of laps I hope to enjoy myself. I increased my training program in the last months because the RCV is fatter and heavier than what I?m used to, so I had to put some muscles on. I saw the progression from the last test in Sepang in November to the last test in Qatar. We were closer to the front but I know there?s a lot to do. Unfortunately we missed the race simulation in Losail the last day of test but I was good enough on hard tires.?
KUCIAR666
Registered User
ESPARGARO ON PROVISIONAL FRONT ROW IN QATAR
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR?s Aleix Espargaro put himself and the new 2015 Suzuki GSX-RR into a provisional front-row position today for the opening round of the MotoGP? race at Losail in Qatar on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Spaniard mainly focused on testing different set-ups of the electronics and traction control in the opening Free Practice session, running the hard tyre to start preparing for the race, and then outing-in some laps with a soft tyre for the single fast-lap which saw him climb to third position with a time of 1?55.685; just 0.404-second from leader Marc Marquez.
Espargaro and team-mate Maverick Vi?ales used the session to improve their confidence on their GSX-RR machines, working to find the best set-up for a consistent race-pace.
Vi?ales struggled to find better conditions to test the set-up options the team planned to try and some small issues with the electronics on his #1 machine forced him to choose the second machine, which was equipped with a different set-up. This proved to be less effective for the 20-year-old Spaniard and he finished FP1 in 17th position with a time of 1?56.922.
Davide Brivio ? Team Manager:
?Being in this position is a good start for our debut. Aleix focused on finalising some electronics and set-up options and found a good pace with the hard tyre, while he also made a positive time on the white-striped soft tyre; which gives him a good place in classification. Maverick had some issues with electronics that prevented him showing his real potential, which we know is much higher. This was only the first day, we still have time to work and find better performance.?
Aleix Espargaro:
?It?s been a positive day. I found a lot of confidence with the hard tyre but I?m very satisfied with my single lap with a soft one, since I?m up with the top riders. We wanted to recover some of the time we lost in the last test here in Qatar so we focused on finalising traction control and electronics. We had very important feedback that gives us many indications for the work we need to do next. Tomorrow I need to try a long run to evaluate the situation in terms of race-pace, but for the moment the work-plan is going smoothly.?
Maverick Vi?ales:
?The day could have been better but unfortunately we had some issues with the electronics on my number-one bike, so I had to switch to bike two. They had different set-ups that we planned to test, but the last one was not so effective so at the end of the day this session has been somewhat wasted. I?m not worried, these are things that happen in racing, we will recover time in tomorrow?s sessions and continue to develop the set-up in order to find a good feeling for the race.?
GP OF QATAR ? FREE PRACTICE 1 RESULTS:
1. Marc MARQUEZ (Repsol Honda Team) 1'55.281
2. Dani PEDROSA (Repsol Honda Team) 1'55.357 +0.076
3. Aleix ESPARGARO (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) 1'55.685 +0.404
4. Jorge LORENZO (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) 1'55.698 +0.417
5. Cal CRUTCHLOW (CWM LCR Honda) 1'55.818 +0.537
6. Danilo PETRUCCI (Pramac Racing) 1'55.939 +0.658
7. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Ducati Team) 1'55.980 +0.699
8. Yonny HERNANDEZ (Pramac Racing) 1'56.139 +0.858
9. Valentino ROSSI (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) 1'56.162 +0.881
10. Andrea IANNONE (Ducati Team) 1'56.315 +1.034
17. Maverick VI?ALES (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) 1'56.922 +1.641
KUCIAR666
Registered User
Pramac Racing in the Top 10 after the first free practice in Qatar
Pramac Racing Team went back to the Losail Circuit in Doha, Qatar, for the first free practice of the 2015 MotoGP season and scored an extraordinary result by placing its two riders in the Top 10 even though both of them felt less comfortable with the track conditions than in the last pre-season test.
Danilo Petrucci showed great lucidity and determination as he was forced during his last run to switch off his Desmosedici GP14. After running back to the pit box and thanks to the prompt reaction of the team which prepared the second bike at very short notice, he managed to go out again notching up a laptime of 1'55.939 (less than 7 tenths from the best laptime of Marc Marquez ) which allowed him to end the day in 6th place.
A good start also for Yonny Hernandez who worked intensively on his Desmosedici Gp14.2. On his quickest lap the Colombian rider recorded a ltime of 1'56.139 which earned him 8th place.6th Danilo Petrucci - Pramac Racing # 9 - 1'55.939
"I am very satisfied with my laptime even if this is only the first day of free practice. But it is a good start which can give a little boost to all of us. The problem with the bike? I was going out for the last run but i saw a LED come on and I preferred to stop. I had to run one kilometer, hoping that the boys were aware of the problem. I thank the team for putting me in a position to get back on the track soon."
8th Yonny Hernandez - Pramac Racing # 68 - 1'56.139
"A first very positive day for me. I'm in the Top 10 and this is our goal. I hope to be able to improve day by day starting from tomorrow. I am very happy with the result but the season has just begun. We are working very well to find a good pace, especially with the race tyre. Meanwhile i'm happy for the laptime recorded".
Pramac Racing in the Top 10 after the first free practice in Qatar
6th Danilo Petrucci - Pramac Racing # 9 - 1'55.939
"I am very satisfied even if this is only the first day of free practice. But it is a good start than can give a little charge to all of us. The problem with the bike? I was going out for the last run but i saw a LED and I preferred to stop. I had to run one kilometer, hoping that the boys were aware of the problem. I thank the team for putting me in a position to get back on the track soon."
8th Yonny Hernandez - Pramac Racing # 68 - 1'56.139
"A first very positive day for me. I'm in the Top 10 and this is our goal. I hope to be able to improve day by day starting from tomorrow. I am very happy with the result but the season has just begun. We are working very well to find a good pace, especially with the race tyre. Meanwhile i'm happy for the laptime recorded".
KUCIAR666
Registered User
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Prepares for Title Fight as MotoGP Season Starts
With the 2015 MotoGP season finally underway, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi return to Qatar and finished the first free practice session under the floodlights of the Losail circuit in fourth and ninth place.
On a completely dry circuit, as opposed to the conditions last week on the final day of testing, both Lorenzo and Rossi made the most of their first practice session to be ready for Sunday?s racing action.
Lorenzo, who currently holds the Qatar pole position record, showed he?s in good shape and ready to start the title challenge. Back to his typical routine, he left his box early and was the first rider to complete a lap around the slippery circuit. After warming up his tyres, he was quick to post consistent times under the 1?56 mark, dropping a 1?55.698 lap as his fastest time. He ended the first practice in fourth position, just under 0,417s from the front.
Teammate Valentino Rossi was also eager to get to work. He left the pit box soon after his teammate to resume the testing schedule he was unable to complete during last week?s interrupted Qatar testing session. Despite suffering from a lack of grip, he worked on the set-up of his YZR-M1 and gradually moved up the timesheets to a provisional fifth position with a 1?56.162 lap. He later dropped four places, finishing 0,881s from the leading time as the session came to an end.
As Qatar is the only night race of the season, there will be a second and third free practice session tomorrow.
Jorge Lorenzo
4th / 1'55.698 / 17 laps
?Everybody has been quite fast on these new tyres, even if the track wasn?t perfect. Moto2 almost broke a record, I think, but in MotoGP we need a little bit more grip. The track is dusty, so it looks like the bike is a bit flowy everywhere. It?s difficult to have confidence but I think today our side has done a quite good job from the beginning. When I feel great on the bike, which wasn?t on the last run, I feel great. To be honest, I hope to be much faster tomorrow. We are still a second from my best lap time from last year. We have a margin, but for a first practice, knowing the track is not perfect, this is not a bad start.?
Valentino Rossi
9th / 1'56.162 / 18 laps
?It was quite difficult because I wasn?t fast enough and I?m just in the ninth position. We tried something different than what we did during the test, but unfortunately it was bad for the rear tyre. I already damaged the rear tyre after five or six laps and the bike moved around a lot. We also weren?t fast enough during the second part of the practice, but we?ll take the data and now we have to try to understand how to improve. Unfortunately there was just one practice today, so we have to work on the data and try to modify the setting. We will wait for tomorrow to see if we are able to go faster. I have a problem with the rear tyre, which is very soft. There?s a lack of grip that we have to fix and I have to improve my pace. I want to try to stay under the 1?55 tomorrow and finish in the top ten for Saturday?s qualifying session.?
Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
?Finally the new MotoGP season has started and our results today were better than our expectations for the first free practice session. The conditions of the track weren?t very good but they were still better than we thought. Jorge was fast and has been consistent for the whole session, but we still have a big margin to improve the bike. Vale suffered much more from a lack of grip and wasn?t able to ride the bike the way he wanted. Tonight we will study all the data that we could collect from FP1 and we will prepare a good package for tomorrow?s FP2.?
Tech3 pair back on track as 2015 begins in Qatar
Pol Espargaro began the first day of the 2015 MotoGP season with best lap time of 1?56.361 as the MotoGP paddock returned back to action at the Losail International Circuit. The young Spaniard got straight to work with his Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team and began refining the setup of the Yamaha YZR-M1 in preparation for the opening race on Sunday. The 23 year old finished the session in 11th and he set his quickest time on the 3rd lap as he completed 18 in total. His efforts saw him only a second from the top time and he also scored the fastest speed of the Yamaha MotoGP bikes with 344.6 kmh. Espargaro now looks onwards to tomorrow where he will intend to improve his position.
Meanwhile, Bradley Smith concluded the opening day of action under the floodlights in Qatar with a 13th placed finish in FP1. The young Briton dug deep and completed a total of 20 laps, which was more than any other rider, as he began making the necessary steps and changes to his MotoGP bike. Smith produced his best time of 1?56.428 on his 11th lap which left him only 0.067 behind his teammate. Having kicked off his MotoGP campaign today, the 23 year old optimistically awaits the other two free practice sessions tomorrow with a view of making additional steps forward and ascending up the grid.
Pol Espargaro
11th / 1'56.361 / 18 laps
?Today was not a bad start to the 2015 season as we were fast straight away. However, we used the same tyre for the whole session and I wasn?t able to improve as the practice came to an end. In addition, I made a small mistake at the beginning of the session where I went wide on the track. Beside that, it's logical that after the rain this week the track conditions would not have been ideal and it certainly gave an advantage to the riders who used a softer tyre towards the end of the session, so we lost several positions. Yet, I'm confident already that tomorrow there will be more grip on the track so the situation will change and we will be further up the grid.?
Bradley Smith
13th / 1'56.428 / 20 laps
?It?s good to get the first practice underway and be back riding again. The difference you feel when you are actually racing for real where it means something is amazing and you don?t get that sensation when testing. I think the track conditions today were a bit tricky and not ideal for the setting which we have in place at the moment. However, I know we will improve tomorrow when the grip level increases. My lap times were good and I actually rode a better time on the ideal laps, where I was more than three tenths faster than my final result which would have placed me well inside the top ten. We still need to work more with the rear of the Yamaha to make it easier for me to ride, as the bike is a bit nervous at the moment. In any case, it's nice to ride and just get a general feeling of the track as it's a quite tricky one and I'm already looking forward to the next two sessions tomorrow.?
Stefan Bradl fastest Open bike at Losail
Stefan Bradl ends the first day of practice sitting on top of the standings of the Open category while Loris Baz managed to stay inside the Top20 at the Losail circuit.
After struggling on this track last week during the winter test, Bradl had a strong session wearing the new team colours of the Athin? Forward Racing. The German, without using the soft tires, posted a personal best of 1.56.577, which earned him the 14th position, first among the Open bikes.
It was a productive day also for his teammate Loris Baz. The Frenchman, at his race premiere in the world championship, stopped the clock on the time of 1.57.031, just four tenths off his team-mate and close to the other open bikes.
Stefan Bradl
14th / 1'56.577 / 18 laps
?After a difficult test on this track it was important to make a good first practice session. I started well, I was able to be immediately fast and I set my best lap without using the soft compound. I focused immediately on the race pace, doing a lot of laps to find the best setup possible. I'm confident for tomorrow: I have kept the soft tire to try to improve the flying lap.?
Loris Baz
20th / 1'57.031 / 15 laps
?It?s been a good day. After many months of work it's time to get on track for the race. It was a positive session: the feeling was the same of last week and also the my pace on the long run is good. I was able to be immediately faster than before and I finished just four tenths short of the first Open bike. I am confident for my weekend debut in MotoGP.?
COMMERCIAL BANK GRAND PRIX OF QATAR - FP1
1. Marc Marquez (SPA), Repsol Honda Team, 1'55.281
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA), Repsol Honda Team, 1'55.357
3. Aleix Espargaro (SPA), Team Suzuki Ecstar, 1'55.685
4. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA), Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, 1'55.698
5. Cal Crutchlow (GBR),CWM LCR Honda, 1'55.818
6. Danilo Petrucci (ITA), Pramac Racing, 1'55.939
7. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA), Ducati Team, 1'55.980
8. Yonny Hernandez, (COL), Pramac Racing, 1'56.139
9. Valentino Rossi (ITA), Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, 1'56.162
10 Andrea Iannone (ITA), Ducati Team, 1'56.315
11. Pol Espargaro (SPA), Monster Yamaha Tech3, 1'56.361
13. Bradley Smith (GBR), Monster Yamaha Tech3, 1'56.428
14. Stefan Bradl (GER), Athina Forward Racing, 1'56.577
20. Loris Baz (FRA), Athina Forward Racing, 1'57.031
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Challenging Free Practice Sessions for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP at Qatar
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP?s Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi faced a difficult and very close second and third free practice session ahead of the Grand Prix of Qatar. The teammates finished in eighth and ninth place respectively in the combined session times.
Lorenzo and Rossi were keen to hit the Losail International Circuit at the start of the morning session. They lined up their YZR-M1s side by side, impatiently waiting for the pit lane light to turn green. However, it soon became apparent that finding the right combination of set-up and tyre would be today?s biggest challenge.
Jorge Lorenzo showed a quick and consistent pace at the start of FP1. He held fourth place for most of the morning session with a fastest lap of 1?55.609, but was pushed back two places after a final flurry of activity.
At the end of the second 45 minutes session, the double MotoGP Champion claimed eighth place with a fastest lap of 1?55.108, less than three-tenths from the leader.
Teammate Valentino Rossi needed a little more time in the morning session to find his pace, as he tried both tyre options. He found a solution towards the end of FP1 and finished right behind his teammate in seventh place with a 1?55.618 lap.
The afternoon session saw an improvement in time from the nine-time World Champion. He posted a fastest time of 1?55.192, 0,370s off the front, but was unable to improve his position in the time sheets. He ended the session in ninth place.
Jorge Lorenzo
8th / 1'55.108 / 18 laps
?It was difficult today, but I feel great on the bike with the soft tyre. We also tried the harder tyre, which is very consistent. I could maybe do around a hundred laps of 1?56.1 on it, but this is too slow, so, for the moment, I prefer the soft option. We found some problems with the electronics this afternoon that were a little strange. We need to investigate what?s going on. We?ll keep working to increase our pace to a high 1?54, which is our goal. It will be a hard fight for the front row tomorrow, because many riders have the extra soft tyre, that gives them four-tenths of a second. They are also stronger than last year, so it will even be difficult to get a position on the second row, but you never know what will happen. Maybe we can find something that will give us half a second and even let us fight for pole position.?
Valentino Rossi
9th / 1'55.192 / 17 laps
?I am satisfied about today because the minimum target that I set for myself was to be inside the top ten. The last practice session was unbelievable because there are ten bikes within three-tenths of a second. I?m not happy about my position, but I?m not far from pole position. To get the pole tomorrow will be very hard, but I want to start a little more in front of the field. We improved the bike and the setting a lot today and my pace is not so bad, it?s very similar to that of the other top guys. We have to keep working on the tyres, especially the rear. I might be able to use the softer option, but maybe I can also use the hard tyre, so tomorrow will be a very important day to understand which tyre I should use for the race. Right now it?s 50/50.?
Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
?Even if the position is not what we expected, we still made a step today and saw some improvements. The bike is starting to work better and also the track is improving and provides more grip. Both our riders spent most of the session using the hard tyre to see if this is an option for Sunday. Though their pace was consistent it wasn?t very fast. When they moved on to the softer tyre the improvements were quite significant. We still have work to do, but we are quite optimistic that tomorrow we can make another step. Considering the amount of work we did in not a lot of time, I think we did quite a good job.?
Tech3 pair push onwards in the desert on day 2 at Qatar
Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team rider Pol Espargaro concluded the second day of action at the opening round in Qatar to finish in 10th position after a spirited performance under the floodlights. The young Spaniard kicked off proceedings by finishing in 14th in the second practice, however, the 2013 Moto2 World Champion remained optimistic of improvement and focused on the FP3 session where he adjusted the setup of the Yamaha YZR-M1. Espargaro powered onwards and scored a best lap of 1?55.328 that left him only 0.506 from the leading rider, after cutting a full second from his yesterday's time in the intensely competitive field. His performance in the third practice session, sees him glide straight through to Qualifying 2 tomorrow, where he will fully intend to clinch a top qualifying placement for the first race of the year on Sunday.
On the other side of the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team garage, Bradley Smith rode determinedly and gave his all before completing the challenging day in 16th position. The young Briton, who reaches the milestone of competing in 150 Grand Prix?s in all classes this Sunday, opened the second day at the Losail International circuit by finishing in 9th in the second free practice. In the afternoon Smith continued to push, yet was unfortunate in not being able to improve on his time set earlier in the day, which left him in 16th overall. Nevertheless, his best lap of 1?55.741 was just seven tenths from the top 5 and will see him compete in the Qualifying 1 session tomorrow. The 23 year old still remains positive and confident of seizing a strong result in the 22 lap race on Sunday.
Pol Espargaro
10th / 1'55.328 / 17 laps
?For sure, I can?t be completely happy as finishing in tenth is nothing to be thrilled about. However, maybe I could say that I'm satisfied in one respect as we are right behind the factory guys and also the gap to the leader is not that big. Moreover we still have some margin to improve as we are struggling with our rear grip, yet I'm confident that we can solve this issue tomorrow. In my opinion, it?s normal that we ended up in tenth in a session which turned out to be a qualification for us and also, my teammate who has always been fast at this track, is even further behind. I don't think we deserve the disadvantage we have because of the tyre allocation, but that's how it is so we just have to deal with it. Fortunately we managed to go straight to QP2 but for sure, it won't be easy at all to achieve a decent grid position tomorrow.?
Bradley Smith
16th / 1'55.741 / 19 laps
?Of course, the end result today wasn?t what we planned at all. To be honest, we were going really well in the first two runs in FP3 and I felt confident on the old tyres at the beginning. Then on the second run, we tried the hard compound and I was one of the fastest riders on this type of tyre. However, we then put the new medium on at the end of the session but it didn?t work well and I couldn?t improve my lap time. Yet, I can?t be negative as the bike feels good and I am certain that if we make a few small modifications, we can improve tomorrow. Qualifying 1 will be tough, especially with the riders who will use the soft tyres, but I am convinced that it is still possible that we can do a good job. We have been competitive all weekend and we were just unlucky when it was time to do a time attack. These things happen, but I?m glad it was today and not tomorrow or Sunday. We?ll stay positive, try to improve in a few small areas and then prepare for a fast lap in qualifying.?
Bradl only three-tenths short of the fastest Open bike in Doha
Stefan Bradl was very close to the Open class leader during the second day of practice for the Athin? Forward Racing team at the Losail circuit.
The German posted an encouraging 1.55.694, which earned him the 14th place just three tenths short of his rival Hector Barbera. Bradl is feeling confident in view of the first qualifying session of the season and the goal is to place his Yamaha Forward on top of the Open class standings.
Loris Baz spent less time on track as he crashed entering a corner, fortunately without major consequences. The Frenchman was brought to Clinica Mobile for verification and then to the Circuit Medical Center. He suffered the avulsion of the nail of the left little finger and had a X-ray performed to his hand to exclude any fracture.
Stefan Bradl
14th / 1'55.694 / 17 laps
?I'm not very far from the first Open bike. Barbera is only three-tenths faster and I?m less than a second from the leading factory bikes. The overall feeling is good, I have to work on the rear grip to have more confidence in the corners. Tomorrow we will continue to work in view of the race, I look forward for more track-time.?
Loris Baz
23th / 1'56.966 / 7 laps
?The goal was to make the most of this practice session in view of tomorrow qualifying, but after falling I was unable to complete the run. After the fall I suffered the avulsion of the nail of the left little finger, but fortunately without any fracture. The guys of the Clinica Mobile fixed my hand so that I can go back on track tomorrow. I?m eager to do well in qualifying.?
2015 MotoGP Qatar
Losail Circuit 27/03/2015
1 Marc Marquez Honda ESP 1'54.822
2 Cal Crutchlow Honda GBR 1'54.918
3 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 1'54.992
4 Aleix Espargaro Suzuki ESP 1'54.994
5 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 1'55.024
6 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 1'55.044
7 Yonny Hernandez Ducati COL 1'55.102
8 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'55.108
9 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 1'55.192
10 Pol Espargaro Yamaha ESP 1'55.328
11 Hector Barbera Avintia ESP 1'55.396
12 Scott Redding Honda GBR 1'55.447
13 Maverick Vi?ales Suzuki ESP 1'55.676
14 Stefan Bradl Yamaha DE 1'55.694
15 Mike Di Meglio Avintia FRA 1'55.707
16 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 1'55.741
23 Loris Baz Yamaha FRA 1'56.966
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ESPARGARO FOURTH IN QATAR MotoGP FP3
Aleix Espargaro put Team SUZUKI ECSTAR?s 2015 GSX-RR into fourth position in tonight?s third qualifying session at the Losail Circuit in Qatar as team-mate Maverick Vi?ales dramatically upped his pace from yesterday.
In the second day of practice and qualifying for Sunday?s season-opening MotoGP? World Championship race, Espargaro set a best lap-time of 1?54.994; just 0.172-seconds away from provisional pole-setter Marc Marquez. Vi?ales finished the session 0.854-seconds away from the top-time with a best-lap of 1?55.676; more-than a second quicker than he posted yesterday.
In the first session, both Espargaro and Vi?ales worked hard to find a good set-up for the race, spending a lot of time on hard tyres, but a small problem with the clutch prevented Espargaro a ?one-off? quick-lap with his soft tyres, while Vi?ales managed to improve his best time on the last lap, eventually running out of fuel just after the flag.
FP3 proved very important for the overall classification and both riders worked on developing their electronics and overall set-ups initially, but then towards the end they used their soft tyres to make their fastest laps. This proved a successful plan for both riders, with Espargaro placing fourth with a lap of 1?54.994s and Vi?ales 13th with 1?55.676s.
Davide Brivio ? Team Manager:
?We are still in free practice but once again it?s a pleasure to see where we are: both riders worked very well and they both encountered a few troubles but they both adapted to the situation. They kept both their calm and their confidence. At the end Aleix finished in a very positive fourth place, making a remarkable one-lap-run, but most-importantly he is also finding a good set-up and confidence with the overall pace. Maverick is a young man, he is also still learning how to use the soft tyre and therefore it is good to see him only 0.854s from the leader. Right now we are satisfied, we will keep-on with our step-by-step approach and we will wait to see what happens in qualifying.?
Aleix Espargaro:
?The day has been positive. In the first session we improved the traction control and my feeling with the bike got better and better. Also in the second session we worked-on finalising the set-up and we had very positive feedback. We couldn?t try any of the long runs that we wanted because in FP2 we had some little issues that delayed our work, but at the end I managed to make a very good fast lap. I feel confident with both tyre compounds, which is important for qualifying and the race. Now we need to improve a little bit the feeling with the front-end and hopefully validate our potential race pace, while attempting a fastest lap in qualifying to see where we can be on the grid.?
Maverick Vi?ales:
?In the first session I had some issues with the soft front tyre which didn?t give me a proper feeling, while in the second session I immediately found more confidence, even if we didn?t change anything in the set up. It is probably only that I need to learn this new bike and learn further how to manage the soft tyre and give directions to the team. I guess this is why at the end I?m satisfied with the day?s work. We made many steps forward and my fast lap is not so bad. I know I have room for improvement and tomorrow we will try our best to get much further up in qualifying.?
GP of QATAR ? Combined classification after FP3:
1. Marc MARQUEZ (Repsol Honda Team) - 1'54.822
2. Cal CRUTCHLOW (CWM LCR Honda) - 1'54.918 +0.096
3. Andrea IANNONE (Ducati Team) - 1'54.992 +0.170
4. Aleix ESPARGARO (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) - 1'54.994 +0.172
5. Dani PEDROSA (Repsol Honda Team) - 1'55.024 +0.202
6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (Ducati Team) - 1'55.044 +0.222
7. Yonny HERNANDEZ (Pramac Racing) - 1'55.102 +0.280
8. Jorge LORENZO (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) - 1'55.108 +0.286
9. Valentino ROSSI (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) - 1'55.192 +0.370
10. Pol ESPARGARO (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) - 1'55.328 +0.506
13. Maverick VI?ALES (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) - 1'55.676 +0.854
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Pramac Racing: amazing Top 10 with Yonny (5?) and Petrux (9?)
In the first qualifying session of the 2015 MotoGP season at the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar, the energy of Pramac generators lit the wonderful evening of the Pramac Racing Team who finished with two riders in the Top 10. An extraordinary result that reflected on the first three rows of the starting grid with the fifth place of Yonny Hernandez who will start from the second row and the ninth place of Danilo Petrucci who won the third.
The rider of Medellin started from Q2 after the seventh time after the free practices and in his second run he notched up the time of 1'54.657 which propelled him to the the provisional third place and then allowed him to end up in fifth place, half a second from Andrea Dovizioso's pole.
A double satisfaction for Danilo Petrucci as the pilot of Terni first won with a time of 1'55.094 then lapped even stronger in Q2 lowering his time by two tenths to end up with a laptime of 1'54.876.
Pramac Racing: amazing Top 10 with Yonny (5?) and Petrux (9?)
5th Yonny Hernandez - Pramac Racing # 68 - 1'54.675
"It's a great laptime and I am very happy. The work the whole team is carrying out is going in the right direction. This is a level significantly better than last year. The feeling with the bike is really good. I have to thank Ducati and Pramac Racing for giving me the opportunity to be involved in an ambitious project. I hope to keep on improving. I want to work hard and learn, trying to give my the best workout after workout, race after race. Tomorrow? The moment of truth. We will fight 100% to do the best and to try to finish in the Top 10".
9th Danilo Petrucci - Pramac Racing # 9 - 1'54.876
"In FP3 we had some bad luck. This made me very angry, but it gave me the energy to face the Q1: I lapped alone setting a great time. During the second time attack in Q2 I was running very fast but I made a little mistake in corner 9 which did not allow me to record a better laptime. But i'm very happy and I thank the team for the excellent work done tonight. The race will be very tough. I will be with the top riders and I will try to learn as much as possible. It's my first race with a Ducati and I hope to manage this new situation well. I knew I could be competitive and I wanted to be. It's beautiful night. I hope to replicate it tomorrow".
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Lorenzo Secures Second Row Start in Intense Qatar Qualifying
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi pushed hard this evening at the Losail International Circuit to take sixth and eighth respectively on the grid in qualifying for tomorrow?s Grand Prix of Qatar.
Lorenzo was the last rider to start the 15-minute qualifying heat to be ensured of some clear track space to push out his flying laps. He immediately dropped under the 1?55 mark on his first hot run before posting a 1'54.803, to move up to provisional fourth in the timesheets. With less than five minutes left he came in for a fresh set of tyres to have another go at a time attack only a minute later. The double MotoGP Champion gave his all on his third flying lap of the day and improved his time with a 1'54.711 lap to finish the session in sixth place, 0.598s off the front.
Teammate Rossi continued to make progress today. The nine-time World Champion was quick to get out on track, making the most of the short time given to post a flying lap. His first stint saw him briefly take provisional fourth position with a 1'55.192 lap, but a flurry of activity then pushed him down four places. Rossi moved back up to sixth in the timesheets with a 1'54.995 before he returned to the pits. He came back out on track with five minutes of the session remaining for a last hot lap. Now back in eighth place, he gave his all and clocked a 1'54.851, 0.738s from pole position. This time briefly put him in seventh place, before the pace of the field picked up. Rossi will start tomorrow?s race from the third row of the grid in eighth place.
Jorge Lorenzo
6th / 1'54.711 / 7 laps
?My position is not so bad, considering that a lot of riders have an extra tyre. Winning is very difficult here, because for the moment we haven?t found the perfect set-up. In FP4 we got a tyre that didn?t have any grip, but in qualifying, luckily, we got the first tyre working very well. The second tyre had less grip, but wasn?t too bad. I made quite a good time considering the condition of the track. We have to work. We don?t know what?s going to happen tomorrow on the long distance with the softer tyre. It?s going to be hard to maintain our pace throughout the whole race, but I?m physically and mentally prepared to give the maximum.?
Valentino Rossi
8th / 1'54.851 / 7 laps
?I hoped to achieve a better position on the grid, but it?s not so bad. For sure the second row would have been better than the third, but the bike?s pace was good and I had quite a good feeling. The pace was not so bad, though Marquez and Dovizioso?s was better, but it?s just Saturday. We have to work, try to improve and save the tyres as much as possible to have a better pace at tomorrow?s race.?
Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
?Another step has been made by both our riders today. We will try to find something for the warm-up to increase the rear tyre's life. The riders are comfortable on the bike and quite satisfied about the way the bike is behaving. I think it?s going to be a really tough race tomorrow, especially at the beginning, when a lot of riders will be fighting for the front group. In the end, I expect that only a few riders are going to be able to fight for the victory. We will try to find something in the warm-up to perfect the bikes? set-ups so we?re ready to compete.?
Smith to charge from 7th on the grid for opening Qatar race
Bradley Smith will begin his 2015 MotoGP campaign from the head of the third row of the grid after a brilliant display of determination in qualifying at Qatar. The young British rider started the day confidently by completing FP4 in 7th place, before challenging in qualifying session one. Here, the 23 year old rider undertook a superb effort in the dying seconds to post a time of 1?55.235 and move through to the second 15 minute shootout. The final qualifying saw Smith meet the chequered flag in 7th place after speeding to a best lap of 1?54.732. This was all the more impressive in the fiercely competitive class with the first eleven riders of the grid being covered by under a second. Furthermore, Smith?s lap was only six tenths of a second from the pole position time and his qualifying performance sees him primed for tomorrow?s 22 lap sprint.
Meanwhile Pol Espargaro will start the first race of the year from 10th position on the grid aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1 under the floodlights. The young Spanish rider completed FP4 in 6th place with a positive display before qualifying session two commenced. Here the 2013 Moto2 World champion leapt into action at the Losail International circuit and by the close of the intense shootout, the Spaniard produced a best time of 1?55.004, with a gap of only half a second separating him from the front row. Espargaro?s tenacious performance in qualifying leaves him poised for a top points scoring finish tomorrow in order to kick start his 2015 season positively.
Bradley Smith
7th / 1'54.732 / 7 laps
?I?m really happy with today?s performance and it?s pleasing to finish so close to the second row. I certainly didn?t make it easy on myself as I had to go through QP1! Yet, I think we?ve been battling with some tyre issues recently. The one I had yesterday wasn?t good and the same thing happened again in QP1 today but we didn't adjust anything else on the bike other than changing the tyre and I improved by half a second. It?s a bit of a gamble with tyres at the moment because of the test and the tyres have been warmed up and then cooled down quite a lot. Anyway, I will start the race from 7th on the grid and I will certainly be in the hunt for a good result. I am feeling optimistic and my race pace is positive so I?m confident of a strong finish to begin this year. I made it count when it mattered today and gave my absolute all, so although I didn?t help myself initially, we?ve pulled through and now I?m ready for tomorrow.?
Pol Espargaro
10th / 1'55.004 / 7 laps
?All in all, I can?t be too dissatisfied about the day. The final free practice went very well as we managed to solve some issues with the used tyres which we were having over the weekend. However, after that, we had to start qualifying with new tyres and so we had to face a few other things that we need to adjust for tomorrow. Nevertheless, our bike has been competitive and I believe that we are ready for the race. Of course, starting from the fourth row of the grid won?t make things any easier and for sure, the Ducati?s will be strong, especially at the beginning before their tyres begin to drop. Yet, our rhythm is not too bad and if we can be aggressive at the start and then maybe pass some of the bikes in front of us, we can commence the 2015 season on a high.?
Difficult qualifying session for the team Athin? Forward Racing in Doha
Stefan Bradl and Loris Baz ended up respectively 18th and 23rd in the qualifying session for the team Athin? Forward Racing on the track of Doha.
During the free practice session, before qualifying, the German?s bike was hampered by an electrical problem and was forced to use bike two for qualifying. In Q1 Bradl posted a best lap of 1.55.791, earning the 18th position on the grid in the sixth row.
Qualification was also an uphill battle for his teammate Loris Baz. After a bad crash yesterday, the Frenchman did not find the right confidence with the front and he finished in 23rd position and will start tomorrow?s race from the eighth row.
Stefan Bradl
18th / 1'55.791 / 7 laps
?I can?t say I?m happy with this qualifying. During FP4 I had an engine problem on bike one and I had to return to the garage. In qualifying, I struggled both with the electronics and with the rear tire. I also had some chattering problems and I could not push as I wanted. We are now analysing the data and we remain focused on the race.?
Loris Baz
23th / 1'56.454 / 7 laps
?Unfortunately, because of the crash of yesterday, I had one less practice session the other riders. I was hoping to lap more in FP4, but I had some electronics problems that slowed my down. Too bad, I was looking for something more in qualifying, but I stay positive for the race. It will be important to find the right confidence with the front, have a good start and remain close to the front of the pack.?
2015 MotoGP Qatar
Losail Circuit 28/03/2015
1 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati ITA 1'54.113
2 Daniel Pedrosa Honda ESP 1'54.330
3 Marc Marquez Honda ESP 1'54.437
4 Andrea Iannone Ducati ITA 1'54.521
5 Yonny Hernandez Ducati COL 1'54.675
6 Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha ESP 1'54.711
7 Bradley Smith Yamaha GBR 1'54.732
8 Valentino Rossi Yamaha ITA 1'54.851
9 Danilo Petrucci Ducati ITA 1'54.876
10 Pol Espargaro Yamaha ESP 1'55.004
11 Aleix Espargaro Suzuki ESP 1'55.035
12 Cal Crutchlow Honda GBR 1'55.123
13 Maverick Vi?ales Suzuki ESP 1'55.246
14 Scott Redding Honda GBR 1'55.428
15 Hector Barbera Avintia ESP 1'55.604
18 Stefan Bradl Yamaha DE 1'55.791
23 Loris Baz Yamaha FRA 1'56.454
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Double Repsol Honda front row for opening GP of 2015
Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez will start tomorrow?s Qatar GP from 2nd and 3rd on the grid respectively.
Dani was the first rider to set a hot lap in the Q2 session and then improved on his second flying lap with his time of 1?54.330, placing him on provisional pole. Marc then set a time of 1?54.437 on his first fast lap to slot in behind Dani in second place as the riders returned to the pits for a fresh rear tyre.
On their second run, neither Repsol Honda rider was able to improve their time but missed out on a 1-2 start in the dying moments as Andrea Dovizioso went top of the time sheets with his lap of 1?54.113, using the super soft tyre.
The riders have a brief 20 minute warm up session tomorrow at 17h00 and then the 22 lap race will begin at 21h00 local time.
Dani Pedrosa
2ND 1'54.330
?I am very happy with today's qualifying session and it was very important to get onto the front row. It was fantastic, because I think that it was one of my fastest laps at this track. It was vital to set a good lap time today, without making any mistakes, due to the fact that at this track all the times are very close together. Now we have to focus for the race."
Marc Marquez
3RD 1'54.437
?Our objective was to get onto the front row and we succeeded, so I?m happy. Of course, you always want to do more, and I would have liked to have set a better lap, but we have a good setup for tomorrow and a good pace, which is the most important thing. It will be difficult to keep up with Andrea because, besides a fast one-off lap, he also has good race pace. We will try to ride our own race and fight for the win."
Qualifying position
1 Andrea Dovizioso 1'54.113 ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
2 Dani Pedrosa 1'54.330 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
3 Marc Marquez 1'54.437 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
4 Andrea Dovizioso 1'54.521 ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
5 Yonny Hernandez 1'54.675 COL DUCATI Pramac Racing
6 Jorge Lorenzo 1'54.711 ESP YAMAHA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
7 Bradley Smith 1'54.732 GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
8 Valentino Rossi 1'54.851 ITA YAMAHA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
9 Danilo Petrucci 1'54.876 ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing
10 Pol Espargaro 1'55.004 ESP YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
11 Aleix Espargaro 1'55.035 ESP SUZUKI Team Suzuki MotoGP
12 Cal Crutchlow 1'55.123 GBR HONDA CWM LCR Honda
13 Maverick Vinales 1'55.246 ESP SUZUKI Team Suzuki MotoGP
14 Scott Redding 1'55.428 GBR HONDA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
15 Hector Barbera 1'55.604 ESP AVINTIA Avintia Racing
16 Mike De Meglio 1'55.729 FRA AVINTIA Avintia Racing
17 Nicky Hayden 1'55.756 USA HONDA Drive M7 Aspar
18 Stefan Bradl 1'55.791 GER FORWARD YAMAHA Forward Racing
19 Eugene Laverty 1'55.848 HONDA Drive M7 Aspar
20 Karel Abraham 1'55.892 CZE HONDA AB Motoracing
21 Alvaro Bautista 1'56.187 ESP APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
22 Jack Miller 1'56.287 AUS HONDA CWM LCR Honda
23 Loris Baz 1'56.454 FORWARD YAMAHA Forward Racing
24 Alex de Angelis 1'56.793 ART Octo IodaRacing Team
25 Marco Melandri 1'57.934 APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
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A fantastic week end in Qatar. Yonny celebrates his first career Top 10. Danilo is 12th
After a great Gp on the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar, the Pramac team can celebrate Yonny Hernandez thanks to his placement in the top 10 and look at Danilo Petrucci's 12th place with satisfaction.
It's been a week end full of emotions for the team which stood out first of all during the qualifications thanks to the Q2 achieved by Yonny Hernandez and the Q1 got by Danilo Petrucci, then during the race since the Colombian racer started very well and remained with the leading group for 5 laps even though later was overtaken by Valentino Rossi who won the GP. Yonny lapped excellently and ended at the 10th place. for the first time in his career he achieved the top 10.
Danilo Petrucci just went through a bad moment at half of the race probably due to the deterioration of the back tire but he responded immediately and end the race at the 12 spot showing a very convincing pace during the last part of the race.
It was very important for the Italian racer to get to the end of the race in order to experienced it all and collect important information which surely will be useful for the rest of the season.
Pramac Racing Team finishes the first race ot the 2015 season of the Moto GP with 10 points (6 by Yonny Hernandez and 4 by Danilo Petrucci) and the current fifth place in the Team ranking list.
A fantastic week end in Qatar. Yonny celebrates his first career Top 10. Danilo is 12th
10? Yonny Hernandez ? Pramac Racing Team #68
"I am very happy with what we have done this week. I want to thank Giacomo Guidotti and the whole team: this success is all ours. And we are on the right path to continue on the challenge to get to the Top10. Managing to stay and fight in the group made by the 4 leading racers for the first laps felt great besides being an incentive to contnue to work hard. The level of the Moto Gp is very high but we keep up with it. My team allowed me to be in the right conditions to fight for the first positions. Physically I feel better, the injury to the shoulder has become only a memory. And I am sure we can do much better."
12? Danilo Petrucci ? Pramac Racing Team #9
"The evaluation of this week end is very positive but I am sure we can do better during the race. I didn't start off well but eventually I recovered during the first two bends and I managed to gain a position. Later I felt that something strange was going on with the back tire and that made me waste almost 5 seconds in laps. Things then got better and I eventually went faster...even better than the beginning. This is only the first race and I am sure that in Austin we will do better. Three Italian racers on the podium? I am very happy with it. My target is being one of them one day. I hope it will happen very soon. In the meantime let me thank the team that did a great job. We have to continue this way because we are doing it right."
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TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR POSITIVE AT QATAR MotoGP
Team SUZUKI ECSTAR?s Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vi?ales both raced to points-scoring positions in Suzuki?s full-time return to the 2015 MotoGP? series tonight at Losail in Qatar; and the team is positive with its initial debut.
Espargaro finished 11th and series rookie Vi?ales 14th aboard their 2015 GSX-RRs under the floodlights of the night-race; and in front of 19,500 spectators. It was an important result for Suzuki after a three-year absence from motorcycling?s premier class of racing; and after much development from the Japanese factory and continued testing to develop the all-new GSX-RR.
Espargaro started from 11th place on the grid, after a weekend that saw him well-in the top 10, and was in the top-seven on the opening laps. Vi?ales, who started from 13th place on the grid, fought back throughout the 22-lap race to score his first-ever MotoGP series points.
Satoru Terada ? Team Director:
?This has been a very important result for us. We have spent the last three years preparing for this debut and we have hit our objectives. Both the riders ended the race and got into the points. Developing a high-performance MotoGP? machine is not an easy process; we?ve learnt that we have some strong points and some weak points. We have a good chassis, but we lack outright power and this prevented us from to be fighting further up the grid. We are all aware of that and we have engineers in Japan working hard to improve our performance. In fact, this result gives us a further incentive to give our best and push even harder as soon as possible. At the end of the day I?m proud of these results, I know I?m working with a full team of professionals and we will push-on to greater heights.?
Aleix Espargaro:
?I can?t say I?m happy with this result as this is probably the worse position I?ve been in since last season and I honestly thought I would be higher-up in the classification. We had a few issues with the machine but we all know that the main problem now is the power. Engineers in Japan are working hard, I know, but unless we get some more horsepower, it will be very hard to get to the front. In any case I?ve also had good feelings from the race; I ended it and I got points, which was our objective. We are all fully focused on our development process and I?m sure we will get even better results soon.?
Maverick Vi?ales:
?It?s been an amazing experience! Racing with the top riders in MotoGP? is something unbelievable and I?m so happy with the experience. The race has been strange; soon after the start I had some issues with the electronics and I lost some traction control, so I had to rely only on my wrist, but the machine was performing well so I decided to keep on and finally I ended the race and got two points. This was our priority, so I?m satisfied. We know where we need to improve and also what went wrong with this race, so we can work on it and hopefully be even more effective in the next race. ?
Grand Prix of Qatar ? Final Classification:
1. Valentino ROSSI ? (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) 42'35.717
2. Andrea DOVIZIOSO ? (Ducati Team) +0.174
3. Andrea IANNONE ? (Ducati Team) +2.250
4. Jorge LORENZO ? (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) +2.707
5. Marc MARQUEZ ? (Repsol Honda Team) +7.036
6. Dani PEDROSA ? (Repsol Honda Team) +10.755
7. Cal CRUTCHLOW ? (CWM LCR Honda) +12.384
8. Bradley SMITH ? (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) +12.914
9. Pol ESPARGARO ? (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) +13.031
10. Yonny HERNANDEZ ? (Pramac Racing) +17.435
11. Aleix ESPARGARO ? (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) +19.901
12. Danilo PETRUCCI ? (Pramac Racing) +24.432
13. Scott REDDING ? (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) +32.032
14. Maverick VI?ALES ? (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) +33.463
Riders World Championship after GP of Qatar:
1. Valentino ROSSI - 25
2. Andrea DOVIZIOSO - 20
3. Andrea IANNONE - 16
4. Jorge LORENZO - 13
5. Marc MARQUEZ - 11
6. Dani PEDROSA - 10
7. Cal CRUTCHLOW - 9
8. Bradley SMITH - 8
9. Pol ESPARGARO - 7
10. Yonny HERNANDEZ - 6
11. Aleix ESPARGARO - (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) - 5
12. Danilo PETRUCCI - 4
13. Scott REDDING - 3
14. Maverick VI?ALES (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) ? 2
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Marquez is Top Honda as Season Starts with a Thriller
Repsol Honda Team RC213V riders Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa finished sixth and seventh in the floodlit Qatar GP, fighting back from a troubled start to an exciting race with a thrilling climax.
Both factory riders had started from the front row of the grid, but chances of following up with similar top-three finishes were scuppered from the start.
Defending champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team RC213V) had a nightmare first lap. Winner here last year ? the first of a classic ten-in-a-row run ? the 22-year-old star was caught up in a tangle in the first corner, and was obliged to run wide and off the track to avoid a race-ending collision.
Marquez dropped right to the back, and immediately set about recovering ground, scything through the backmarkers, then picking his way through a fierce mid-field battle.
He had caught and passed his team-mate Pedrosa just after half distance; but could get no further ... the gap to the leaders finally proving unbridgeable.
Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC213V) also had a difficult first lap. He picked up places steadily, up to fifth on the sixth of 22 laps of the 5.38-km Losail circuit. But by then the front four were already out of reach, and although he could match their speed, he was unable to close the gap.
His situation was made more difficult by the return of serious arm-pump problems that blighted his results last season, and required corrective surgery early that was only partially successful. Pedrosa pledged to seek a more permanent solution, throwing doubt on his immediate racing future. The Repsol Honda Team pledged to give their loyal long-term rider the fullest support in his quest for a cure.
It was not the hoped-for result at the first of 18 races, but both riders proved their strength and the speed of their machines in spite of the adversity that blunted their challenge. With a full season ahead, motivation is reinforced by early adversity.
The race was won by veteran former World Champion Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), finally prevailing in an exciting last-laps battle with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati). Dovizioso?s team-mate Andrea Iannone was a close third, narrowly ahead of early leader Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha).
The Repsol Honda pair finished just five seconds behind the leaders.
Two other riders campaign the Factory Option Honda RC213V. Cal Crutchlow (CWM LCR Honda RC213V) made it three in the top ten, finishing seventh after triumphing in a strong battle for the position.
Scott Redding (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Honda RC213V) was 13th, still seeking the best machine balance in his first attempt on the awesomely powerful factory Honda.
Four others race the upgraded Honda RC213V-RS, in the Open category, where a lower technical specification is traded off with softer tires and extra fuel.
2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden (Aspar Team Honda RC213V-RS) finished the strongest, placed 17th, with team-mate Eugene Laverty 18th. Karel Abraham (AB Motoracing Honda RC213V-RS) and class rookie Jack Miller (CWM LCR Honda RC213V-RS) did not finish, after a last-lap tangle put them both on the ground.
The next race, in two weeks, is the Grand Prix of the Americas, at the COTA circuit at Austin, Texas, followed one week later by the Argentine GP.
Honda MotoGP Rider Quotes
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team: 5th
?We should be happy because we have salvaged eleven important points, when we could easily have left here with none. It was a tough race, in which I made a mistake at the first corner and dropped back to last place. This meant that I had to make a comeback, pushing hard all through the race, but in the end I saw that I could not catch the group at the front. The positive that I?ll take from today is that we rode at a similar pace to the lead group. In Austin we will continue to work hard, with an even stronger desire to do well.?
Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda Team: 6th
?Tonight?s race didn?t go to plan and unfortunately, I had serious problems with my right forearm which isn?t good news for me. I worked very hard over the winter in order to find a solution, because I was suffering in every race last season. Every doctor recommended that I should not undergo another operation and I have tried to look for alternatives, but by the looks of things nothing is working positively. Now I have to assess my options and see what I can do. It is probably the most difficult moment of my career. I will do my best to find a solution but in this moment it is difficult to imagine what it could be.?
Cal Crutchlow, CWM LCR: 7th
?I think to come away with a seventh place we can be very happy. It was a good start to the season considering I don?t have any experience racing the Honda. The guys I was battling with have been riding a factory Honda for a lot longer than me, and we all saw that they struggled too. Being just over a second behind Dani Pedrosa and five behind Marc Marquez shows that we were all struggling for rear grip tonight in Qatar. I think this was about our pace for the weekend anyway, and I made it hard for myself with some mistakes early on in the race, but my pace was consistently good. If I had have got away with the guys in front I could possibly have been around fourth or fifth.?
Scott Redding, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS: 13th
?It was a tough race and certainly not where I expected to be finishing. The target was to finish inside the top 10, so I can?t be happy to be 13th. We are making steps in the right direction but not enough to bring us closer to our target. Turning is the biggest issue and we need to focus on that because I should be finishing much higher up on the package I am riding. We?ve collected a lot of data and I finished in the points, but it is clear there is plenty of room to improve.?
Nicky Hayden, Aspar Team: 17th
?I got a reasonable start, and had a decent ride going, considering where we?ve been all week and through testing. I was able to make up a couple of positions and was doing quite good ... was the first Open bike for a long time. I pushed really hard trying to catch Redding, and he was coming back to me at times and I was hoping to get on the back of him, but we used up a lot of tire. Everybody had a big drop in tires here, but we had struggled a lot with electronics when the tire did go off. The bike was cutting a lot, even when I had it straight up and down. A lot of work for 17th place and no points. Anyway we learned a lot that I think we can use going forward. The team did a good job with the chassis, but we need more with the electronics. It?s clear we need to work a lot with Honda to make the bike better on used tires, and also with Magneti Marelli with these electronics.?
Eugene Laverty, Aspar Team: 18th
?Due to an electronics issue, the bike didn?t know where it was on the track, so I wasn?t able to ride it anywhere near where I wanted. It was different every lap: sometimes on the straight I had full power, sometimes it would cut back. I was having to short-shift, and the traction control was all up the pole. It was like that right from the start. The first two corners I didn?t notice it, but from the third it was like the handbrake was on. Until then, this weekend was pretty flawless. It?s not where it should have been today, but some days are like that.?
Karel Abraham, AB Motoracing: DNF
?This race has confirmed to be really hard for all open spec bikes and riders as only few of us got some points. The first part of the race was going well but then the bike began to lose a grip and I could not keep the pace with Stefan Bradl nor fight with him. Then during the last lap Jack Miller tried to overtake me at maximum risk and took me down quite hard. My bike is damaged a lot and I am quite bruised. He realized that he had made a mistake and he came to our garage after the race to apologize. Fortunately it happened in race where I was not chasing points.?
Jack Miller, CWM LCR: DNF
?It was a difficult race for us. We got off to a good start and I was going quite good. I made a few mistakes and got a little too tight on the bike but finally got myself back together when we were close to last. After that I really started to work, and closed the gap to the other Open bikes. It was working really well, we pulled up and I passed two guys and then caught up Abraham. When I got there I was in too much of a rush to pass and went too deep and lost the front. Unfortunately it took myself and him out. Being on the last lap it was a shame not to finish the race, but we learnt so much and I look forward to carrying on the learning process in Texas.?
Event results - Round 1
1 Valentino Rossi 42'35.717 ITA YAMAHA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
2 Andrea Dovizioso 0.174 ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
3 Andrea Iannone 2.250 ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
4 Jorge Lorenzo 2.707 ESP YAMAHA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
5 Marc Marquez 7.036 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
6 Dani Pedrosa 10.755 ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
7 Cal Crutchlow 12.384 GBR HONDA CWM LCR Honda
8 Bradley Smith 12.914 GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
9 Pol Espargaro 13.031 ESP YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
10 Yonny Hernandez 17.435 COL DUCATI Pramac Racing
11 Aleix Espargaro 19.901 ESP SUZUKI Team Suzuki MotoGP
12 Danilo Petrucci 24.432 ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing
13 Scott Redding 32.032 GBR HONDA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
14 Maverick Vinales 33.463 ESP SUZUKI Team Suzuki MotoGP
15 Hector Barbera 33.625 ESP AVINTIA Avintia Racing
16 Stefan Bradl 33.944 GER FORWARD YAMAHA Forward Racing
17 Nicky Hayden 38.970 USA HONDA Drive M7 Aspar
18 Eugene Laverty 46.570 HONDA Drive M7 Aspar
19 Mike De Meglio 59.211 FRA AVINTIA Avintia Racing
20 Alex de Angelis 1'14.981 ART Octo IodaRacing Team
21 Marco Melandri 1'48.143 APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
22 Loris Baz 3 Laps FORWARD YAMAHA Forward Racing
23 Karel Abraham DNF CZE HONDA AB Motoracing
24 Jack Miller DNF AUS HONDA CWM LCR Honda
25 Alvaro Bautista DNF ESP APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Championship standings
1 Valentino Rossi 25 pts ITA YAMAHA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
2 Andrea Dovizioso 20 pts ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
3 Andrea Iannone 16 pts ITA DUCATI Ducati Team
4 Jorge Lorenzo 13 pts ESP YAMAHA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
5 Marc Marquez 11 pts ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
6 Dani Pedrosa 10 pts ESP HONDA Repsol Honda Team
7 Cal Crutchlow 9 pts GBR HONDA CWM LCR Honda
8 Bradley Smith 8 pts GBR YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
9 Pol Espargaro 7 pts ESP YAMAHA Monster Yamaha Tech 3
10 Yonny Hernandez 6 pts COL DUCATI Pramac Racing
11 Aleix Espargaro 5 pts ESP SUZUKI Team Suzuki MotoGP
12 Danilo Petrucci 4 pts ITA DUCATI Pramac Racing
13 Scott Redding 3 pts GBR HONDA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
14 Maverick Vinales 2 pts ESP SUZUKI Team Suzuki MotoGP
15 Hector Barbera 1 pts ESP AVINTIA Avintia Racing
16 Alex de Angelis 0 pts ART Octo IodaRacing Team
17 Stefan Bradl 0 pts GER FORWARD YAMAHA Forward Racing
18 Nicky Hayden 0 pts USA HONDA Drive M7 Aspar
19 Mike De Meglio 0 pts FRA AVINTIA Avintia Racing
20 Marco Melandri 0 pts APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
21 Loris Baz 0 pts FORWARD YAMAHA Forward Racing
22 Eugene Laverty 0 pts HONDA Drive M7 Aspar
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Rossi Rules Stunning Season Opener in Qatar
Movistar Yamaha MotoGP?s Valentino Rossi opened the 2015 MotoGP season tonight with a stunning victory at the Grand Prix of Qatar. Teammate Jorge Lorenzo also put on an impressive performance during the opening round at the Losail International Circuit, finishing in fourth place.
What started as a battle that could have been anybody?s race, ended in a thrilling duel.
Rossi rode an incredible race. Starting from eighth on the grid, the nine-time world champion fell back to tenth position and took a few laps to get a feel for the situation. He then ploughed through the order on his way to the front of the field. He quickly overtook several riders to take fifth in a duel with rival Pedrosa on lap four. Keeping up his pace, he soon passed Hernandez for fourth and continued his podium chase by bridging a 1,5 second gap to rider in third. He then clawed his way to the front group of Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Iannone. This was the start of an incredible final battle between the two factory teams as the riders changed positions several times.
Rossi fought hard, eventually overtaking Iannone with four laps to go. A nail biting last few rounds with rival Dovizioso followed, with the Doctor giving one of his best performances in his 20 year MotoGP career. Fighting until the very last corner he gave everything to hold enough of an advantage to clinch the first victory of the 2015 season, with a margin of 0.174s.
Teammate Jorge Lorenzo also had a great start to his 2015 Championship, flying from sixth on the grid to grab second place into turn one. He continued to chase Dovizioso, as rival Marquez had run wide. Lorenzo took over at the front in turn 12 of lap two, but was unable to create a lead. The Mallorcan and Dovizioso battled fiercely and were later joined by Iannone and Rossi. Lorenzo feeling the heat of the following riders, made many attempts at reclaiming the lead, but was unable to hold first position. He fought bravely, but with four laps to go was forced to let his teammate and rivals go through due to a problem with his helmet. He finished fourth, 2.707s from the front.
Rossi?s superb win earns him first place in the championship standings with 25 points. Lorenzo now holds fourth place in the championship with 13 points.
Thanks to today?s results Movistar Yamaha MotoGP take the lead in the teams? championship with 38 points. The next round will be held at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), United States, in two weeks? time.
Valentino Rossi
1st / 42'35.717 / 22 laps
?In the last three seasons I always rode solid races and arrived on the podium but to come back with a victory is another thing. I am so happy because we suffered a lot during the practices and also the tests, but we worked very well for the 22 laps race and I was very strong. First of all you have to be lucky, but especially the work that we do with the team during the weekend makes the difference for my pace in the race. It was definitely one of the best races of my career, considering where we were yesterday. I really have to thank all my team, my engineers and all at Yamaha because I think today we did something amazing.?
Jorge Lorenzo
4th / +2.707 / 22 laps
?It was a difficult race. After the first lap, I found myself in second place and I followed Dovizioso. I was faster and I passed him where I could in the fast corners. On the speed and in braking the Ducati was much stronger than our bike, but we could recover on corner speed while the acceleration was similar. To be honest, I thought that I could win the race, though it surely wasn?t going to be easy, because Valentino had a very strong pace at the end of the race. I was feeling better and better, but suddenly there was something wrong when in the top part of the helmet the foam came loose and came down so I lost half of my vision. I couldn?t see the corners very well and couldn?t concentrate or ride like before and I was losing half a second or more per lap. In a race where, at minimum I could fight for the win, I finished fourth.?
?It has been an incredible start to the season. Vale?s race was a masterpiece! He rode well and really got what he deserved. Unfortunately Jorge had a problem with his helmet seven laps to the end and had to slow down a bit. Otherwise I think we could have had both riders on the podium. Especially considering how we started the weekend, this is a great result. Our target was to start with a victory and we achieved it. I want to say a big thank you to everybody who made this happen. The whole team has been putting in hard work, starting from last week. We now look forward to the next race in two weeks time.?
Bright start under the floodlights in Qatar for Smith and Espargaro
Bradley Smith commenced his 2015 MotoGP campaign with an assertive ride to seize 8th at the Losail International Circuit under the floodlights. The young British rider began the race from the head of the third row in 7th and leapt forward as the lights went out to complete the first lap in 5th. Smith remained focused and set into his strong race pace and by the 4th lap, he was running in 7th place. The 23 year old rode consistently over the following laps and was in 8th position with eight laps left to run. This was whilst being locked in a fierce battle to be the top satellite rider as well as 7th place with three other MotoGP competitors. After being pushed back to 9th on lap 15, he burst past Hernandez to reclaim 8th shortly afterwards, before crossing the line only marginally behind Crutchlow who was half a second ahead. The encouraging finish sees the British rider open his 2015 account with a positive result and leaves him optimistic of obtaining another top finish at the next round in Texas.
On the other side of the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team garage, Pol Espargaro finished the challenging Qatar night race right behind his teammate in 9th position after undertaking a strong effort. The young Spaniard completed the first lap in 6th position and was right in the hunt with the front running bikes. He was bumped back to 10th on the fifth lap but remained completely focused on regaining ground on his Yamaha YZR-M1. With only a quarter of race distance left to run, Espargaro was involved in the dice for 7th with his teammate and expertly clinched 9th on the 17th lap. The fastest satellite MotoGP rider of 2014 eventually met the chequered flag in this position, concluding the weekend with a positive collection of points and leaving him primed for success at the next race.
Bradley Smith
8th / +12.914 / 22 laps
?I must admit that despite the good result, I am slightly disappointed as we were so close to being the top satellite bike at Qatar. This is our ambition for the year, so to miss this opportunity is a bit annoying. However, to finish only half a second back from Cal isn?t bad at all, especially at this early stage of the season. I had a good feeling with the bike during the whole race and we kept a consistent pace. Yet, I wasn?t really able to race how I wanted to and I had to remain riding in a smooth style throughout the whole distance. This was a bit difficult when battling with the Honda or Ducati?s because those bikes require different riding styles, which need the rider to be a bit more aggressive. Nevertheless to finish 8th and collect some valuable points as well as some useful experience and being so close to our objective of the top satellite bike is not a disappointment. In addition, we will improve and learn from Jorge and Valentino in order to be closer to the front at Austin.?
Pol Espargaro
9th / +13.031 / 22 laps
?It?s been a difficult weekend for us. We experienced some issues on the first two days, yet we were able to improve them yesterday and during this morning?s warm up, I felt truly confident on the bike. Having said that, we have had a slight problem with the electronics throughout the weekend, which we were not able to clarify so we didn?t adjust the traction control in order to remain in the best possible way. Therefore the setup of the anti wheelie also wasn't ideal and I lost a lot in acceleration. I just couldn't pass the riders in front and I was often late on the brakes, so to be honest it was a real struggle. However, the main positive is that we managed to finish the Grand Prix and in any case, this weekend is normally a bit of an unusual one as we run at night and the conditions of the track are always changing so it?s difficult to take conclusion out of today's race. Of course, I?m not over the moon about today?s result as it was not my ambition. Yet, now we have to work on solving these problems at the next race in Austin where we must take advantage of the weekend as soon as the first session commences.?
Bradl a whisker away from winning Open class at Losail
Stefan Bradl finished second in Open class rumble and Loris Baz was 22nd in the first race of the 2015 season for the Athin? Forward Racing team at the Losail circuit.
Bradl, who started from 18th position on the grid, had a good start and went back immediately to the points-zone. The German had a long battle with his direct opponent, Barbera, to lead the Open category. A small mistake, committed within sight of the finish line, lost him the victory in this class. Bradl was 16th under the chequered flag, just three-tenths from the first points of the season.
It was an uphill race for his teammate Loris Baz who started from 23rd. The Frenchman lost grip on the front from the very beginning. He was forced to come into the pits to change the tyres and crossed the finish line in 22nd position.
Stefan Bradl
16th / +33.944 / 22 laps
?I cannot say I?m satisfied at all with this race, even if I was close to the lead of the Open and I was finally able to battle with my rivals. I was really close to win my class, but at the last corner I braked too late and Vi?ales and Barbera passed me. It has been a difficult weekend but I'm happy with the work done by the team and I have come to know more about the Yamaha Forward. It was not a bad race, not counting the small final mistake, I proved to be able to fight with the other Open bikes.?
Loris Baz
22nd / +3 laps / 19 laps
?I did not start well, but I recovered quickly and I started to get close to the points-zone. Unfortunately, after a couple of laps, I started to lose grip on the front and the bike became difficult to ride. I did not want to risk it and I came back to the pits to change tyres. Too bad, I was really close to the points and with new tyres I kept the same pace as those fighting for the Top15. Overall it was a good weekend: I learned so much and I have collected a lot of info for the race in Austin.?