Márquez gives a motorcycling lesson in Moto2 Qatar

I’m writing these words with the shock still in my body over what we’ve lived through. Márquez’s victory today will go down in history as the best race ever held in Qatar in the history of its GP. And every time, Moto2 surprises us more; the sensations this category gives us are not found anywhere else in the world.

Battle is the only name for it, that is Moto2, and that is what Marc does best. He was a deserved winner, lap record of the circuit included, 2:00.645. On the podium they were joined by Andrea Iannone and Pol Espargaró, the three most aggressive riders of the race.

The battle between Iannone and Marquez over almost every lap is one we won’t easily forget. Constant contact, tight braking and daring passes didn’t stop them from finishing first and second. A fight of riding styles, of styles and of egos, the riders kept from overtaking, trying to unsettle their rivals, because the intermediate class is a psychological battle. Finally, the final slipstream, getting tucked in right out of the last corner, took Márquez to victory.

Pol had to lead for many laps, which certainly took a very heavy toll on his tyres during the early stages of the race, with consequences at the end. He was happy with the result but feels he could have fought for the win, because the Espargaró brothers are hungry.

Luthi, who started from pole position, seemed to lack the strength in close combat to keep up, but he proved that he can fight for the win and that only a stroke of bad luck kept him from a greater reward. At the start of the last lap he held his braking into the home straight against Márquez right to the end, but he had to run wide because of the crash Marc caused right under his nose.

The big surprise of the season has been Tito Rabat, who had a spectacular weekend and cannot feel unlucky like the others, because the Moto2 victory was very expensive today. After the race he commented that, due to excess fuel in the tank, some drops of fuel splashed onto his visor, making him keep his pace without knowing why. Even so, well done on the race and the fight, which has been incredible. He even showed he wanted to fight for the win by attacking his teammate Pol, though that led to a run off track and a return in fifth place. In the end he finished fourth, just off the podium.

It is surprising how, in a category where mistakes cost so much, with several positions lost for each error, riders like Marc himself, Iannone, Luthi, Pol, Tito and many others can recover their positions again with overwhelming force.

Toni Elías finished thirteenth, showing that in the race he can find an extra gear, but starting so far back, from seventeenth position, cost him dearly.

Results table: (Pos – Points – No. – Name – Nation – Team – Chassis – Speed – Gap)

1 25 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol Suter 159.1 40’34.225
2 20 29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Speed Master Speed Up 159.1 +0.061
3 16 40 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Pons 40 HP Tuenti Kalex 159.0 +1.412
4 13 80 Esteve RABAT SPA Pons 40 HP Tuenti Kalex 159.0 +1.639
5 11 12 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten-Paddock Suter 158.9 +3.981
6 10 45 Scott REDDING GBR Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 158.7 +6.768
7 9 63 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA S/Master Speed Up Speed Up 158.7 +6.794
8 8 3 Simone CORSI ITA Came IodaRacing Project FTR 158.7 +6.986
9 7 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Tech 3 Racing Tech 3 158.4 +10.828
10 6 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 158.4 +11.379
11 5 4 Randy KRUMMENACHER SWI GP Team Switzerland Kalex 158.3 +12.750
12 4 5 Johann ZARCO FRA JIR Moto2 Motobi 158.2 +14.121
13 3 24 Toni ELIAS SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Suter 158.0 +17.634
14 2 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 158.0 +17.875
15 1 60 Julian SIMON SPA Blusens Avintia FTR 158.0 +17.894
16 71 Claudio CORTI ITA Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 157.9 +19.014
17 19 Xavier SIMEON BEL Tech 3 Racing Tech 3 157.9 +19.114
18 77 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Technomag-CIP Suter 157.3 +28.802
19 72 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN NGM Mobile Forward Racing Suter 156.8 +36.598
20 47 Angel RODRIGUEZ SPA Desguaces La Torre SAG FTR 156.8 +36.738
21 14 Ratthapark WILAIROT THA Thai Honda Gresini Moto2 Moriwaki 156.7 +37.147
22 49 Axel PONS SPA Pons 40 HP Tuenti Kalex 156.7 +37.443
23 18 Nicolas TEROL SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Suter 156.6 +39.523
24 88 Ricard CARDUS SPA Arguiñano Racing Team AJR 156.2 +45.260
25 95 Anthony WEST AUS QMMF Racing Team Moriwaki 155.7 +53.786
26 8 Gino REA GBR Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Moriwaki 155.7 +54.008
27 10 Marco COLANDREA SWI SAG Team FTR 154.1 +1’19.054
28 7 Alexander LUNDH SWE Cresto Guide MZ Racing MZ FTR 154.1 +1’19.071
29 82 Elena ROSELL SPA QMMF Racing Team Moriwaki 153.1 +1’35.150
30 76 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER Kiefer Racing Kalex 150.3 1 Lap
Not Classified
15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM NGM Mobile Forward Racing Suter 158.4 2 Laps
96 Nasser Hasan AL MALKI QAT QMMF Racing Team Moriwaki 151.0 10 Laps
44 Roberto ROLFO ITA Technomag-CIP Suter 85.3 17 Laps