CRICKET | Page 4 GOLF | Page 10 Hafeez, Schwartzel To Advertise here Wasim help outlasts Haas Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 Pakistan beat to win Valspar Sri Lanka Championship Tuesday, March 15, 2016 TENNIS Jumada II 6, 1437 AH Djokovic and Nadal GULF TIMES tested in Indian Wells, Serena strolls SPORT Page 11 MOTOGP FOCUS Ready for Feuding Rossi and battle, MotoGP roars into 2016 s is tradition, the Losail Circuit Sports Club will host the Marquez fi red up fi rst round of the MotoGP World Championship under their famous fl oodlights. Since 2008, each season of the MotoGP World Cham- Apionship has begun under the brilliant fl oodlights of the Qatar circuit, the only night race on the calendar. This season will be no diff erent as the Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar starts what is set to be an incredible year in the premier class of motorcycle rac- ing. The intrigue and drama of the 2015 season still lingers in the for new season minds of many but all riders now have a plethora of new challenges and hurdles to focus on overcoming. The 2016 season sees the most radical regulation changes since ‘It would be hypocritical to say that it’s over and shake his hand, because it’s not true’ MotoGP entered the four-stroke era in 2002. A spec ECU and soft- ware package supplied by Magneti Marelli looks set to level the AFP playing fi eld and increase the importance of a rider’s right wrist, Paris especially towards the end of a race with adaptive strategies re- moved. Michelin also step in as the offi cial tyre supplier of the MotoGP class, presenting an all-new challenge for riders and the alentino Rossi and Marc Mar- factories to overcome. quez renew their bitter rivalry Michelin, the new MotoGP tyre supplier, will bring the soft and as the 2016 world motorcycling medium option rear tyres to the fi rst round along with soft, me- championship gets underway in dium and hard fronts. VQatar on Sunday with accusations of be- Of all the riders it seems reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge trayal and intimidation still dominating Lorenzo has adapted the quickest to the new landscape. The fi ve- the paddock. time champion led both the Sepang and Qatar Tests by over half a Nine-time world champion Rossi was second, stamping his authority and intent to retain his crown. within touching distance of a 10th title One of the biggest revelations of testing has been Maverick on his Yamaha last season only for an ill- Vinales, the Team Suzuki Ecstar rider leading the Phillip Island judged kick at Honda rival Marquez at the Test and fi nishing third in Qatar. It was not as smooth a transition penultimate race in Malaysia. for teammate Aleix Espargaro who has struggled with front-end He was punished by being forced to confi dence on his bike throughout testing. start the title-decider in Valencia at the After a hard fought title battle that went down to the fi nal race back of the grid, a penalty which allowed of the year, Valentino Rossi remains as hungry as ever for his tenth his Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo to title. The Doctor has won four times in Qatar, including his thrilling take the championship by just fi ve points. 2015 victory. Rossi finished fourth but accused Unfortunately for the Repsol Honda Team, 2015 proved a diffi - Marquez of deliberately helping fellow cult year for Marc Marquez. The double MotoGP world champion Spaniard Lorenzo to the finish line at his crashed six times as he attempted to override his RC213V. Testing expense by acting effectively as a body- ahead of the 2016 season also proved diffi cult for Marquez who guard. crashed multiple times. It proved an even more diffi cult time for “I allowed myself to be tricked by Mar- Dani Pedrosa, the second factory rider having a torrid time during quez. He really betrayed me. He said he testing and unable to get near his goals. was a fan but it was all lies, bulls***,” said Aside from Vinales, Scott Redding has also shown well through- Rossi on the eve of his 21st season as a pro- out the testing period and ended the fi nal test as the leading Ducati. fessional rider. His GP15 is showing no signs of ageing and after a confi dence sap- The Italian added: “It would be hypo- ping year in 2015, Redding is back to having fun on a motorcycle. critical to say that it’s over and shake his Danilo Petrucci, Scott Redding’s teammate, suff ered a severely hand, because it’s not true. Our relation- broken hand after falling at Turn 8 in Phillip Island. The Italian was ship can never be recovered. I like to do forced to miss the Qatar Test, undergoing an operation to repair the real things, not to pretend.” Since 2008, each season of the MotoGP World Championship has begun under the brilliant floodlights of the Losail circuit. damage and is hopeful of competing in the Qatar GP. Rossi and Lorenzo will be teammates Iannone will be hoping to stop Redding’s charge and usurp him again in 2016 but they are far from friends, Rossi and Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa as the top Ducati throughout the year. Testing got off to a slow start a factor which adds to Yamaha’s conun- as being the major title rivals. for the Ducati Team rider, gradually improving the 2016 Desmo- drum at the end of the year when both “The strength of Lorenzo is his speed; sedici GP and working on the longer term development of the bike men will be out of contract. the guy is fast and once he’s far ahead on as opposed to one fl ying lap. “What happened (last year) took a toll, track it’s very hard to beat him. Valentino Teammate Andrea Dovizioso has also been focused only on de- so whatever happens, it seems tricky to has a lot of experience and Dani’s compre- velopment work, putting in lap after lap to gather data for the en- consider keeping Lorenzo and Rossi at hensive understanding of a situation is his gineers back in Italy. Yamaha in 2017,” Yamaha Tech 3 boss strong point,” he summarised. Staying with the same team for the fi rst time in three years, Cal Herve Poncharal told motorsport.com. “But you never know who else could Crutchlow showed well in all three tests and consistently chal- “If Lorenzo stays, I don’t know if Rossi surprise you, especially seeing how the lenged for top Honda honours. The Qatar Test ended in a vicious will want to stay, and vice versa.” Ducati team are getting stronger with a lot crash for the LCR Honda man but in true Crutchlow style, he was The public disputes between Rossi, of technical improvements.” joking about the crash soon after and is fi red up for the season and triple MotoGP champion Lorenzo and The 2016 championship starts under the eager to help Honda improve the RC213V. Marquez, a two-time winner of the elite lights in Qatar on Sunday and ends in Va- It will be a big year for both Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith. title, have also attracted the attention of lencia in November with 21 riders—nine of With the majority of factory seats open at the end of the year, both legendary 15-time champion Giacomo whom are Spanish—battling over 18 races. Monster Yamaha Tech 3 riders will be hungry to land a much sought Agostini. Rossi won in Qatar 12 months ago but after factory contract. “I would like to see a bit more respect Valentino Rossi (left) and Marc Marquez are locked in a bitter battle involving accusations endured mixed fortunes in pre-season The fi rst three rounds look set to be extended test sessions for between them because for me this is the of betrayal and intimidation. testing at the desert track, twice coming Aprilia Racing Team Gresini who debuted the brand new 2016 RS- most important thing,” Agostini told mo- off his machine. GP at the Qatar Test. While pleased with the early results, all in- togp.com, refl ecting on the Rossi-Mar- important thing is to have respect for each saw his hopes of a third successive tri- The championship also has a diff erent volved are aware that they are nowhere near their maximum and quez spat. other as that leads to great racing and this umph undone midseason when he frac- tyre supplier with Bridgestone giving way much more track time is needed. With both Stefan Bradl and Alvaro “I don’t think that true friendship can is what I hope we will see.” tured a fi nger in a dirt bike accident. to Michelin while a new control electron- Bautista at the helm, Aprilia are sure to make continuing progress exist between rivals in our sport, but the Marquez, the 2013 and 2014 champion, The 23-year-old again sees Lorenzo, ics system has also been introduced. throughout the year. (MotoGP.com) QMMF Racing Team optimistic ahead of season-opener at home By Sports Reporter “The off icial tests here in Qatar started well for with the front feeling, but at the end of the first Doha us, I had a good feeling with the bike straight day, we tried something diff erent and it was a away. It was strange that I could do better lap little bit better, especially with old tyres.