Fast Franco scores stunning maiden Moto2 victory in Qatar
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Franco Morbidelli confirmed his status as a contender for the Moto2 World Championship with a stunning victory in tonight’s Qatar Grand Prix.
Morbidelli was untouchable in scoring a career first Moto2 win in the 20-lap opening race at the Losail International Circuit.
The 22-year-old Italian described his victory as “amazing” as he was swamped in jubilant celebrations by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS.
Morbidelli made a superb start from pole position and although headed briefly by Swiss rival Tom Lüthi on lap two the result was never in doubt.
On lap three Morbidelli regained the lead and set a relentless, race winning pace and set his fastest lap of the race on lap six to take control of the opening race of the 2017 season.
It was a brilliant performance that saw Morbidelli maximise his talent with victory after eight previous podiums.
While Morbidelli cruised in the final laps to win by 2.68s his Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS teammate Álex Márquez could not capitalise on his front row start and finished fifth.
Márquez settled in third place, which he held for eight laps, but in the cool and breezy conditions he could not maintain the pace and slipped back to fifth on lap ten.
Morbidelli’s superb winning performance in his 54th Moto2 start was no surprise after his impressive speed in practice and preseason testing at Qatar.
Franco Morbidelli: 1st
“This first victory is a great sensation after all this time, it is really amazing that I confirm that I am capable of winning races. My pace was really strong and I was pulling away from the others once I got ahead of Lüthi and had a clear track, so it did not feel like a difficult race. The main thing today was to bring to the track what I had in my mind, that I could win here after such a strong preseason of testing and practice in Qatar.”
Álex Márquez: 5th
“It was a drama free race but I struggled a lot from mid-race because from the warm-up I saw that today the track conditions had changed a lot. But I achieved my first objective which was to finish the race and we understand which areas to improve, both my riding style and set-up depending on the conditions.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“This is a great moment for our team because our last victory was at Valencia in 2015. Today was the day that Franco delivered on his potential by taking his first pole position and victory in this race. Franco’s rhythm was very impressive and with his pace this win was his for the taking. For Álex I am not disappointed he learnt a lot from this race and I am sure we will see him on the front row again and challenging for the podium in Argentina.”
More, from a press release issued by SIC Racing Team:
NORRODIN CLAIMS SOLID TENTH; SASAKI TOP ROOKIE IN ELEVENTH AT LOSAIL
Qatar, Doha – Sunday 26th March
Circuit: Losail International Circuit
Circuit Length: 5.4 km
SIC Racing Team riders Adam Norrodin and Ayumu Sasaki claim points all round in the opening round of the 2017 Moto3 Championship, finishing in 10th [Adam] and 11th [Ayumu] place at Losail International Circuit.
Continuing to show his renewed form, Adam Norrodin immediately began his battle for the points as the lights went out. Relentlessly pushing to stay with the leading group, the young Malaysian worked hard to hold his position and close in on the riders ahead. Showing consistently quick lap times throughout the 18 lap race, Norrodin impressed with his pace and determination to achieve his target of a top ten finish.
Newcomer to the team Ayumu Sasaki made an impressive start to his 2017 campaign, launching off the line to begin his battle within the leading group. The fearless sixteen-year-old fought hard to work his way up into ninth place, before a crash in front forced him to take evasive action. Despite losing both time and positions, Sasaki regained his rhythm to conclude his debut Moto3 Grand Prix with a superb 11th place finish and the first rookie across the line.
Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager
“The target here was to finish in the top ten with both riders and we showed in practice that we had the pace for it. Both Adam and Ayumu did an excellent job and worked hard to stay with the top group. Unfortunately in turn six there was a crash in front of them and both riders suffered from this; they lost a bit of time from the group and then couldn’t recover. They just didn’t have the pace alone to catch them back up again. In any case we finished in the top ten with Adam and we’re very happy for this. Also with Ayumu, he was the best rookie today and did a superb job in his first Moto3 Grand Prix to finish eleventh. It’s been a difficult weekend with the weather conditions but we leave here happy with this first race; both riders in the points. We now need to keep this momentum. We see that we have speed, which is a big boost of confidence, so we need to take this to Argentina at the next race.”
#7 ADAM NORRODIN – P10
“Today was a great day! I’m so happy. I want to say a big thank you to my team! We trained really hard over the winter to start strong this weekend. We’ve pushed hard every session and we’ve achieved our target. In the race I just did my best to release my mind, stay calm and focus. I knew I had the rhythm. The feeling was good from the start and I was able to go with the leading group. We stayed there until near the very end but everyone was on the limit and there were a couple of crashes. To finish in the top ten in our first race this season is really good. Now we just have to do even better in Argentina!”
#71 AYUMU SASAKI – P11
“We have started the season in a pretty good way. Unfortunately from the start of the race I had a small issue with the front of the bike but nevertheless I was able to follow the front group until two riders crashed in front of me. I had to run wide to avoid them and I lost a couple of positions. I was already on the limit to stay in the front group so I wasn’t able to catch them again after I lost the time. Anyway we leave Qatar with some points. We have work to do for Argentina but I’m confident we can do better there.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2:
NAVARRO CRASHES OUT OF QATAR MOTO2 RACE
It was a short debut Moto2 race for Federal Oil Gresini’s Jorge Navarro today at Losail International Circuit, as the Spanish rider was forced to pull out of the encounter with 11 laps to go after crashing unhurt at turn 7.
Moments before the crash, Navarro went wide at turn one and did his utmost not to lose too much ground but eventually ended up falling off his Kalex Honda machine #9. The team will now analyse the data and come up with a plan to attack the next Grand Prix of the season in Argentina, which takes place in a fortnight’s time.
Team Manager Fausto Gresini said: “It’s definitely a pity to finish the race with a crash, given the hard work both Jorge and his crew have done during the weekend. This is part of racing, though, and part of his racing experience, all he needs is just a bit more time. Jorge needs to stay focused, the team will help him out and results will come. I’m not worried one bit.”
JORGE NAVARRO
“It’s been a difficult weekend for us. We tried something different this morning during warm up but it didn’t really make much of a difference. My feeling with the bike is not there yet and during the race I did all I could, but I hit false neutral at the end of the main straight and ended up wide. I tried to make up as much ground as possible, but I lost the front not long afterwards. It’s a shame to come out empty handed as the goal was to finish the race. We have to stay together and work hard in order to be ready for Argentina.”
More, from a press release issued by Sky Racing Team VR46 Moto3:
FIRST POINTS FOR THE SKY RACING TEAM VR46 IN QATAR
In Moto3, in the first race of the season 2017, Andrea Migno is fighting for the podium til the last lap and scores the sixth place. Top15 also for Nicolò Bulega, 14th.
Losail (Qatar), March 26th 2017 – Andrea Migno, fighting in the leading group right from the start til the last corner, is sixth under the checkered flag at the GP of Qatar. The young talent of the SKY Racing Team VR46, seventh on the grid, is for the first time this season in the Top10, first KTM after a race in the front group.
Points also for his teammate Nicolò Bulega, who started from the 13th box of the grid due to the cancellation of the qualifying session. After a difficult start, Nicolò was unable to mend the gap with the leading group and crossed the finishing line in 14th place.
Pablo Nieto, Team Manager: Andrea did a really good job and I’m very pleased with how he managed the whole weekend. He fought in the leading group until the last corner, close to the podium, first KTM under the checkered flag. Unfortunately Nicolò, due to the starting position on the grid, was unable to recover the gap from the first guys, but it’s only the first race and we can recover.
Andrea Migno: I’m very happy with how the season began: I battled throughout the race with the strongest guys. Due to the weather, it was a difficult weekend and this morning I struggled in the warm up. The track was very dirty with no grip. During the race I found a good pace and I was able to battling in the front positions.
Nicolo Bulega: Unfortunately, the cancellation of qualifying compromised the race. I started for the middle of the group and I could not reduce the gap with the first group immediately after the start. I was losing something in terms of speed, but I fought for the points until the finishing line.
More, from a press release issued by British Talent Team:
Comeback King: McPhee fights through to a stunning P2 in Qatar
Incredible first race rewards the BTT with a debut podium
Patience can be a virtue in practice, before the lights go out for the race and the flag demands a payoff. Patience was the plan for British Talent Team rider John McPhee leading up to the team’s debut – and the Scotsman put in a stunner once the flag dropped, taking a podium first time out.
Staying in station throughout the first laps, the Brit began a fight back with a fastest lap as he made it up into P11 with 16 to go. 14 to go saw the McPhee up to seventh, before he was into the top five next time over the line.
A brave move up into the lead for the first time with twelve laps left saw McPhee announce his presence as a real podium contender as the group tousled for position. Back at the front with seven to go and then fighting it out with the frontrunners to the end, the BTT rider eventually crossed the line in second – defending the position to perfection over the last lap.
On the podium first time out and only just behind winner Joan Mir, the new British Talent Team is off to a flier ahead of the debut of the British Talent Cup next year. Next stop: Argentina and Termas de Rio Hondo, from the 7th to 9th of April.
Bottoms up!
John McPhee, P2: “I can’t thank everyone enough, honestly! The team and everyone behind me. I’ve been given this opportunity and I’m trying to make the most of it so that’s the best way to start off the season. All race the bike was so fast, I felt really strong in the group. We ticked all the boxes in preseason testing and we knew we could be strong, even if the weekend’s not been the best, position-wise. I stuck to the plan and now it’s paid off so I’m absolutely delighted!”
More, from a press release issued by Tech 3:
Strong start to 2017 for Vierge after powering to 9th in Qatar
Tech3 Racing Team rider Xavi Vierge produced a determined display under the floodlights to seize a solid top ten finish as he outlined his intentions for the 2017 Moto2 season. The young Spaniard began the sprint from 8th on the grid and quickly set into a firm and consistent pace which saw him remain in the highly competitive pack. Eventually, after pushing non-stop, Vierge met the chequered flag in 9th, but just 0.012 behind Lorenzo Baldassarri after a nail-biting dash to the flag. Meanwhile, Remy Gardner’s race debut on the Mistral 610 was unfortunately cut short after another rider hit him on the frantic opening lap. Nevertheless, the young Australian will seek to fully bounce back at the next round in Argentina in a fortnight.
Xavi Vierge
Position: 9th – Championship: 9 – Points: 7
“In general, this weekend went very positively for me and I feel that we have started the season really well with this ninth place finish and we can go home feeling satisfied. I had two or three issues during this entire event but the Tech3 crew worked hard and they found the solutions quite quickly, which I am more than pleased about. I began the race a bit higher up on the grid than last year, but I need to work a bit more on the traction in order to make another step in front during the GP. Thanks again to the guys for their work and I am looking forward to getting back on the bike in Argentina.”
Remy Gardner
Position: DNF – Championship: Not classified
“It was a disappointing day and I know that I wouldn’t have been taken out if we had started further up the field. It’s a real shame about the weather and that we weren’t able to ride yesterday so I couldn’t improve my grid position. Anyway, the positive is that I had a great start and the first two thirds of the lap went well, and I think I was up to 15th before I was hit by another rider. I’ve got to pick myself up now and then focus on the Argentina race. I thought that we could have sealed a positive result to close the weekend well, so it’s a big shame that it ended up this way, but I am more determined for the next round.”
Hervé Poncharal – Team Manager
“It has been a very long wait until today when the Moto2 season finally kicked off and it’s great to be back at the track after the lengthy absence. The top ten was the target for Xavi, and he ended up in 9th so we are all pleased with the result and his performance. As usual, he had a great start, put his head down and fought all race long. He got into a group of really strong riders, that featured Quartararo, Marini, Baldassarri, Aegerter and Kent, and I’m delighted that he finished in the middle of this pack in 9th. The result is a great reward for him and the team as it’s vital to score some points in the first event so that we can leave for the next round with a positive feeling. For sure he wanted more, but 9th in the opening GP is super, especially if you look at who he finished ahead of and we are starting the championship in the way that we wanted to. Unfortunately, on the other side of the garage, Remy, who we have a lot of faith in and who we believe is going to become a strong rider in the very near future, was hit from behind by another competitor. This is highly frustrating because the most important thing for him was to finish the race and get some experience. Nevertheless, it was a great day for Xavi and the next one will be better for Remy.”
More, from a press release issued by Sky Racing Team VR46 Moto2:
FIRST POINTS AT THE DEBUT FOR BAGNAIA IN MOTO2
At its debut in Qatar, the SKY Racing Team VR46 scored 4 points thanks to the 12th place of Francesco Bagnaia. Despite the pain, Stefano Manzi crosses the finish line in 29th position.
Losail (Qatar), March 26th 2017 – Francesco Bagnaia conquered 4 points for the SKY Racing Team VR46 on his debut in Moto2 with Kalex. Pecco, ninth at the start, after a race with a very similar pace to the strongest guys, is 12th on the finishing line, second rookie of the category.
Under the checkered flag also Stefano Manzi, who despite the pain in his left knee, honors the commitment with the first race of the 2017 season. Stefano, who started from the 32nd box of the grid, is 29th.
Pablo Nieto, Team Manager: I’m happy to say that we crossed the finishing line of our debut race with both riders. It is a great result for the whole team. Pecco did a good job and finished very close to the Top10. Stefano, despite the pain in his knee, finished the race. Good job!
Francesco Bagnaia: It was a very tough race, especially with the rear tyre. I had a good start, but from mid-race I struggled to keep the pace of the strongest guys. I had less feeling than Thursday, but of course the race is another thing compared to a simulation. Overall I have a good setup base and I can not wait the next race.
Stefano Manzi: I had not a bad start, but after few laps, the pain in the knee was really strong. I tryed to do my best to honor the race and the work of the team, but I could not do nothing more. My goal is to recover as much as possible before the race in Argentina.
More, from a press release issued by Remy Gardner’s publicist:
Remy’s Race Cut Short After Strong Start In The Desert
Remy Gardner had his Moto2 race debut with the Tech3 Moto 2 Racing team cut short under the floodlights of the Losail International circuit earlier today after he was taken out on the opening lap.
Remy, who is a permanent rider for the squad in 2017 steadily went about his business during pre-season testing, improving throughout, and continued this progression with every session in official practice ironing out a few small set-up issues with the team to enable him to challenge for World Championship points on his debut with the squad.
Rain of biblical proportion saw the sole qualifying session cancelled and the decision by organisers to create the grids from combined Free Practice meant Remy had to start from the 8th row.
Sunday evening saw no sign of the rain and when lights went out Remy was soon on the move, passing a number of rivals in the first half of the opening lap.
Despite the impressive first few corners Remy’s progress forward was short-lived, the #87 rider crashing at Turn 10 along with two other riders. Clearly annoyed, he was unable to remount so must wait until round 2 in Argentina in a fortnight to open his point scoring account for 2017.
Remy Gardner: “We had a decent opening day where we made a lot of progress and I was pretty happy as we went faster without using a new tyre. We improved again in FP3 and I was looking forward to seeing what we could do in qualifying but the rain was just too bad and the organisers made the right decision. Starting 23rd I know that I wouldn’t have been taken out if we had started further up the field. Anyway, the positive is that I had a great start and the first two thirds of the lap went well. I’ve got to pick myself up now and focus on Argentina. I really thought that we could have achieved a positive result here so it’s a big shame that it ended up this way, but I am more determined for the next round.”
More, from a press release issued by Forward Racing:
Marini and Baldassarri kick off 2017 in impressive style
The Forward Racing Team duo of Luca Marini and Lorenzo Baldassarri delivered an excellent performance in today’s opening round of the Moto2 World Championship under the spectacular floodlights of the Losail International Circuit, finishing in sixth and eight position respectively.
Marini pushed hard during the first laps to quickly find himself inside the chasing pack, after he leapt off the line from 13th position on the starting grid. With a great perseverance, the 19-year old made his way through to the top of his group during the 20-lap sprint to finally see the chequered flag in sixth place.
Also his teammate, Lorenzo Baldassarri, jumped of the line in positive fashion, immediately recovering four positions on the opening lap. He quickly set in a strong rhythm and commenced to battle through the field. During the second half of the race, the young Italian progressed from eleventh to eight position, which enabled him to take home precious championship points for one of the main Moto2 title contenders.
After this positive season opening the Forward Racing Team will be back on track in Termas de Rio Hondo, Argentina for the second Grand Prix of the exciting 2017 Moto2 World Championship in just a fortnight.
Luca Marini – 6th (+13.747)
“To be honest I’m very happy about this result, because I could improve my tenth place from last year, which was something really important for me in order to show the progress I made during the winter. In addition, I’m very pleased, because I was able to manage the tyres well during the entire race and this was something I struggled with in 2016. Now I feel more comfortable with my Kalex and the Moto2 category overall. I really have to say I’m satisfied. It’s not easy for me to admit that, because I always want to do better, but I think today we achieved our maximum result. The following round takes place in Argentina, a completely different track, yet, I’m sure we can do well there.”
Lorenzo Baldassarri – 8th (+17.465)
“We knew that the race would not have been an easy one, after the cancellation of the qualifying practice and our unfortunate grid position. Still, I had a good start and was able to recover several positions before the first corner. However, at the exit of turn two I had to close the throttle to avoid a couple of riders, who had touched each other. After that, I settled in a decent rhythm and was in the battle making up different positions. I felt strong with my pace. When I arrived to Vierge in the end, I struggled to pass him, even tough, I was faster. In the last two laps, I gave my 100% to try to defend my position, but I did a couple of mistakes and missed the break in one corner. Fortunately, I was still able to maintain eight position until the chequered flag. I want to take the opportunity to express a huge thanks to all the Forward Racing Team for this good start of the season. We will keep pushing, like always and I already can’t wait for the next race.”
Giovanni Cuzari – Team Owner
“What a race! I can’t be prouder of my riders and the whole team. Luca did a fantastic performance and it’s more than obvious that he got a lot more mature this winter. He got a decent start, kept calm and didn’t make any mistakes. Ten days ago, he arrived in Qatar with the aim to improve his placement of last year and he managed to do so in an impressive manner. Luca even lapped with similar lap times compared to the front guys over certain stages of the race. I’m sure, he has a fantastic year ahead. Lorenzo did a good race as well, especially after his injury of the last weeks. He was able to bring home important points, which might be crucial at the end of the championship. For sure, he’ll now take the opportunity to relax during the next days in order to be 100% fit and well prepared for an even stronger appearance in Argentina.”
More, from a press release issued by AGR Team:
END OF THE QATAR STRESS FOR THE AGR
The AGR riders do not get points, but they finished with no feelings
It was raining over the circuit just a few minutes before the start of the warm up sessions on Sunday at Qatar. Nail-biting! In the end, we had a race and we were able to avoid more problems, as that would be having to compete tomorrow. Most of the team has already spend around a dozen days in this country and they were looking forward to go back home.
We did not get any points. We do not like it, but both Yonny and Maria did their best. We have the first assessment of the year and we know where we stand. Now we will rest and we will inform you again about our activities for the Argentinean Grand Prix on April 9th.
Moto2
The Argiñano & Ginés Racing Team rider in Moto2, Yonny Hernández, won 5 places at the start of the race due to an incident and put himself in the group fighting for the top 20. He considered himself capable to go further and he recovered some tenths from the riders in front, in a battle that took most of the race. He fought until the end and tried to improve places even if they were not point-scoring positions.
Yonny Hernández #68 Kalex Moto2, 18th: “The positive side of the race is that we improved the pace a lot from the practice. If we had started further ahead, with my times during the race, I could have been in the top 10. In the second part of the race, I felt better as the tyres worn out. The technical changes we made did benefit us. In Argentina, we’ll need to do a good Qualifying to be able to aim at a good result”.
Moto3
María Herrera started from the 26th place of the grid and in two laps she lost one position. The AGR rider was in the group fighting for the 23rd place, with a pace one second behind the leaders. The first selection in front was of 15 riders. Maria worked a lot during the first third of the race, improving positions until taking the lead of her group in the 8th lap, fighting for the 20th place. From that moment on, she had to fight even harder. With her work and the crashes of other riders, Maria was in the top 20 5 laps before the end. She rode at a pace that would have allowed her to finish in points-scoring positions.
María Herrera #6 KTM Moto3, 21st: “I did a good start, but some riders took me off the line and I fought in the group until I was confident enough to overtake. I took the lead of the group to try and get to the points-scoring position, but there was a huge battle and it was impossible to recover the distance. I know the bike better and I feel well because I fought harder. We’ll keep looking for the best set-up in Argentina “.