It has been a long time since Ducati takes the pole in MotoGP. Qatar was seen as a very promising race for the Ducati team but that dream of clinching the podium was smashed by the Doctor, Valentino Rossi; who fully utilised his unrivalled race craft to time his assault with his YZR-M1, taking the lead from Ducati’s Dovizioso just two laps from the end to a sensational finish.
Dovizioso clearly had a top-end speed advantage on the straight as he draft past Rossi but his mistake running wide at Turn 2 allowed Rossi to fight his way back into the lead. With his years of experience, Rossi performed a faultless final lap giving him enough gap to negate the Ducati’s edge on outright speed on the long straight to the chequered flag.
Where is Repsol Honda Marc Marquez? At the beginning of the 22 lap race, the defending world champion Marc Marquez ran off track and ended up last on the opening lap. Marquez had to work all the way up overtaking his team mate Dani Pedrosa to 5th place, unable to do anything with Jorge Lorenzo who finished fourth.
Image : Reuters
| As of: Qatar Grand Prix | Points | Behind | Wins | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Valentino Rossi – Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
|
25
|
‒
|
1
|
|
|
2
|
Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team
|
20
|
5
|
0
|
|
|
3
|
Andrea Iannone – Ducati Team
|
16
|
9
|
0
|
|
|
4
|
Jorge Lorenzo – Movistar Yamaha MotoGP
|
13
|
12
|
0
|
|
|
5
|
Marc Marquez – Repsol Honda Team
|
11
|
14
|
0
|
|
|
6
|
Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team
|
10
|
15
|
0
|
|
|
7
|
Cal Crutchlow – CWM LCR Honda
|
9
|
16
|
0
|
|
|
8
|
Bradley Smith – Monster Yamaha Tech 3
|
8
|
17
|
0
|
|
|
9
|
Pol Espargaro – Monster Yamaha Tech 3
|
7
|
18
|
0
|
|
|
10
|
Yonny Hernandez – Pramac Racing
|
6
|
19
|
0
|
|
|
11
|
Aleix Espargaro – Team Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP
|
5
|
20
|
0
|
|
|
12
|
Danilo Petrucci – Pramac Racing
|
4
|
21
|
0
|
|
|
13
|
Scott Redding – Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
|
3
|
22
|
0
|
|
|
14
|
Maverick Vinales – Team Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP
|
2
|
23
|
0
|
|
|
15
|
Hector Barbera – Avintia Racing
|
1
|
24
|
0
|
|
|
16
|
Stefan Bradl – Athina Forward Racing
|
0
|
25
|
0
|
|
|
17
|
Nicky Hayden – Aspar MotoGP Team
|
0
|
25
|
0
|
|
|
18
|
Eugene Laverty – Aspar MotoGP Team
|
0
|
25
|
0
|
|
|
19
|
Mike Di Meglio – Avintia Racing
|
0
|
25
|
0
|
|
|
20
|
Alex de Angelis – Octo IodaRacing Team
|
0
|
25
|
0
|
|
