Rossi celebrates second in Qatar
The MotoGP got off to a suitably thrilling start under the suggestively atmospheric floodlights of Qatar.
I often prefer the thrills and excitement garnered from the Moto3 – instead of a warm-up to the main MotoGP event, it is an openly exhilarating competition in its own right.
Indeed, the Moto3 race was a suitable appetite-whetter for what is to come throughout 2013/14. After finishing second in the 2012 championship, the Spaniard, Luis Salom, was looking to begin his 2013 season in similarly competitive style – and what better start than from the front of the grid, courtesy of his first career pole?
Not that he could get a Lorenzo-esque start with his fellow Moto3 competitors lurking behind. He fought off rutting competition from injured Championship favourite, Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins, Jonas Folger – Marc Marquez’s brother, Alex, displayed typical Marquez tenacity to catch up with the more experienced Moto3-ers by midway. Even heading the race in the 13th lap.
The lead was shifted and stolen between this group repeatedly throughout the race – expect the Championship table to read no different as the season gets underway.
And the best-of Moto3 was highlighted in its ability to produce yet another last-lap thriller.
A Folger fault saw him give-way to the chasing pack; he could only manage fifth in the end. Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales – worried off-season that he’d miss the start of this season, so bad was his hand injury – kept a cool head and a steady position throughout the 18 laps and managed to push across the line 0.006s ahead of Alex Rins. ‘Mini’ Marquez was .3 behind in fourth – having displayed uncanny nuances to his brother. (Apparently Marc claims Alex is even faster than he? A worrying thought indeed). Salom’s persistence and gas-on in the final lap opened up a 0.417 gap, big enough to cross the line first.
All in all, a spectacular opener and metaphor for the joy of Moto3.
Vinales, of course, has set a quiet precedent in coming second despite being dosed up on painkillers, and still in agony about his hand injured in the off-season. Just imagine how deadly he will be at full-fitness. For me, Maverick is one of the most entertaining and precocious riders in the sport – and that the sport has seen in some years.
Next followed the full-on thuggery that is Moto2 – where racers really learn their onions on bike-to-bike battling and elbow-grazing action.
Season favourite Pol had a corker of a weekend: from gravel, to pole, to podium. Big brother Aleix cheered from the side-lines, as Pol dipped no lower than third position throughout the twenty floodlit Qatari laps. The battle at the front played out between him, Italtrans’ Nakagami and England’s very own Scott Redding. Pol, though, played it perfectly. He and Redding took advantage of Nakagami’s eventual slump in race-pace halfway through. Pol stalked his way to his first win of the season, finally putting a move on Redding with five laps spare. The Brit fought ‘til the end, nearly coming wheel-to-wheel with Pol in his quest for the front – but Espagaro displayed a mature display of defensive riding and pulled away in the straights to end across the line 0.844 in front of Redding. Nakagami still managed to complete the podium, albeit an eventual 12 seconds in lieu of first place.
Now what better set-up for the MotoGP? In recent past, the main class has left a little to be desired in terms of comparable predictability and excitement – Stoner vs Lorenzo vs Pedrosa was about your lot.
But 2013 sees all change – and change for the better because, boy, it could go any way this year! First things first, we all drop to our knees in gratitude that Valentino Rossi is back on a competitive bike. He seemed as joyous to finish second in Qatar as he did winning his last Championship, so much has he missed truly competing in this sport – and giving the fans the man-v-machine artistry that only he can perform. With Rossi a decade older than many of the new MotoGP competitors, his time at Ducati was a disservice to his legacy, his talent and the sport overall – and this was no better proved than in his cheek-to-cheek battle with Repsol Honda debutant Marc Marquez in the last four laps.
The 20-year-old Spaniard is the next reason to keep in tune with the top class this season. He called on his ballsy Moto2 experience to finish second; after trailing team-mate Dani until the 16th lap, he overtook Pedrosa’s problematic Honda but couldn’t make his moves on Rossi stick for second place. It was certainly an impressive performance and a great inaugural display for BBC viewers less accustomed to the talents of Moto2/3 graduates. (All hail the commentary genius of Julian Rider and Toby Moody – nobody does it better).
The fact Marquez held off Rossi’s imposing presence and even dared to cut back ahead of the veteran – albeit temporarily – proved the young Spaniard (well, one of many young Spaniards!) is going to be as fearless as ever this year, which is something for viewers to really relish, if he can draw on his battle-scarred Moto2 style.
Then there is dear Dani – a lackluster weekend for the man deemed as an early favourite before the competitive racing began. He ended the 2012 season on such a high that, if the season were to have perpetuated for another few weeks, he’d have been a safe bet for usurping Lorenzo’s title. Alas, the season ended with him second and at an unfulfilled peak. Most imagined (and, certainly in my case, hoped) that he could start off with this same form and confidence this season. Certainly testing sessions suggested he was likely to – and the Repsol finally looked like the bike to be on.
Unfortunately for Dani and his fans, this was not the start we’d dreamed of; his whole weekend lacked presence and, in the end, he couldn’t keep up with the Yamahas – or, most frustratingly, his rookie teammate. It was ultimately down to poor grip in the rears; he seemingly failed to set up right and that cost him as the laps drew to a close, as he could no longer hold off the pressure from his teammate to overtake, nor two laps later the prowling Rossi, eager to regain a footing on the winner’s podium.
Not to worry. It’s not ideal, but Losail is by no means a favourite venue of Dani’s – he didn’t sound overly troubled to skip the podium and, after all, this is just race one of 18. My faith is shaken, but intact.
Jorge Lorenzo is apparently the same machine he was last season, looking to win a consecutive championship and setting up for it in perfect style: a comfortable pole that ensured he led from start to finish in Qatar. There is no ruling this guy out, much to the regret of the rest of MotoGP!
Notable mention for Alvaro’s sixth place on the Gresini!! I’d have loved for Dovi to have pulled that Ducati up further than 7th, to support his great quali, but there’s plenty of time for that. Predict he’ll get more out of the machine than Vale managed last year…
Anyway, until Texas in two weeks’ time!
Pursuit of Nattiness 