10 Friday, April 2, 2021 Sports TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha: Riders expecting the rivals to get quicker Losail International Circuit set as MotoGP returns with excitement TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK for any situation. Anyway, we LOSAIL know we have a good potential and we will try to fix it if we EXPECTATIONS were high cannot go at the maximum. ahead of the season-opening “I think all the riders can Qatar GP and they are even make a step, we will also try higher as MotoGP returns to to make a step. It is very im- Losail International Circuit for portant to improve day by day the TISSOT Grand Prix of Doha and for sure all the riders siting starting Friday (April 2-4). here, and in the top 10, will be On Thursday, the top six in faster. We will try to be a lit- the standings looked ahead to tle bit faster, and we will see. the weekend as last Sunday’s What we can understand is the race winner Maverick Vinales tyre demands are very high, we (Monster Energy Yamaha Mo- need to manage really well and toGP), Johann Zarco (Pramac for sure we will work on that Racing), Francesco Bagnaia during the weekend,” he said. (Ducati Lenovo Team), World One rider who did exactly Maverick Vinales of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), World Champi- Champion Joan Mir (Team that at Misano was Qatar’s on Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) during the pre-event Suzuki Ecstar), Fabio Quarta- third place finisher Bagnaia. conference for TISSOT Grand Grix of Doha at Losail International Circuit on Thursday. raro (Monster Energy Yamaha A maiden MotoGP po- MotoGP) and Alex Rins (Team dium came the Italian’s way at The Schedule Suzuki Ecstar) explained how the San Marino GP, before he Qatar vs Doha everything may well change. looked set to win the Emilia Ro- Friday Saturday 19:20-19:50: MotoGP: FP4 It’s the same circuit, but a completely different weekend. The In 2020, we saw five cir- magna GP. Both he and Zarco 13:50-14:30hrs: Moto3: FP1 13:25-14:05: Moto3:FP3 20:00-20:15: MotoGP: Q1 riders will all – hopefully – find improvements, some more than 14:45-15:25: Moto2: FP1 14:20-15:00: Moto2:FP3 20:25-20:40: MotoGP: Q2 cuits host back-to-back Grands will be hoping to manage the 15:40-16:25: MotoGP: FP1 15:15-16:00: MotoGP:FP3 Sunday others. It’s going to be another fascinating MotoGP encounter 17:30-17:45: Moto3:Q1 14:40-15:00: Moto3:Warm Up Prix. Only the Circuito de rear tyres better so they can put 18:10-18:50: Moto3:FP2 across Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the desert, with the first Abdulrahman Al Mannai, Jerez-Angel Nieto witnessed up a fight in the closing stages, 17:55-18:10: Moto3:Q2 15:10-15:30: Moto2: Warm Up premier class track action getting underway with free practice 19:05-19:45: Moto2:FP2 18:25-18:40: Moto2:Q1 15:40-16:00: MotoGP: Warm Up President, Qatar Motor and the same winner twice in a but the duo isn’t worried about 20:00-20:45: MotoGP:FP2 18:50-19:05: Moto2:Q2 17:00: Moto3: Race (18 laps) (FP1) at 15:40 local time (GMT+3). Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) row, giving us an early indica- potentially not winning at a and Losail Circuit Sports Club. tion that Yamaha and Vina- track that is a favoured Ducati need to be fast so let’s see how Aragon. Both missed out on “I expect to change a little tough race because a soon as I les can’t go into this weekend stomping ground. to manage this Sunday. Our a podium last weekend – Mir bit the qualifying or the first overtook Jack, I had good pace QMMF president complacent – and they won’t. “I think it’s as Maverick target is to have more pos- by a matter of metres – but the laps of the race. We were really but I felt the rear tyre drop im- Title-race leader Vinales says, the construction of the sibility to be fast at the end duo also showed, once again, strong in the last part but also, mediately. I slowed down the pleased was quick to suggest that no tyre is always hard to man- of the race like Maverick did, mesmorising Sunday pace. we recovered, we closed a lot pace but automatically my rear weekend is ever the same, and age. My race, staying second, and fight with him or another Mir and Rins did admit that the gaps and also used more tyre was spinning a lot, I think with Qatar’s he expects all of his rivals to me and Pecco and then try to rider, to be able to fight for vic- starting in the front group, or the tyre than normally what that it’s also great because last gain some speed. Therefore, follow Maverick I think helped tory, not just a podium chance. being in the front group from you have to. year in that situation I would hosting of he and Yamaha need to find me a lot to be competitive until “If we don’t get any victo- Lap 1, is essential if they are to “It will be important to have dropped many posi- something extra to stay ahead. the end and even have…. Mir ries in Qatar, we don’t need to win in Doha. start with the first group and tions,” replied El Diablo. MotoGP rounds “No. It’s never perfect, very at the end overtook me, almost be worried because we are so “It was a difficult weekend then manage the race with “I found another way to difficult to be perfect at all the at the end of the last lap and competitive,” continued the because I struggled a lot to them and to see in the last part make a great lap time, with TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK tracks,” quipped the Spaniard, this gave me the possibility Frenchman, responding to find the correct feeling with of the race where we are so this braking. Braking so hard but it DOHA dismissing the thought that to overtake him again,” com- whether Ducati should be wor- the front, I was having a lot of is the main goal for the week- was tough. Exit of Turn 6 was his opening race of 2021 was mented Zarco. ried about not winning either problems and this was making end,” he added. one of the worst points but ABDULRAHMAN Al Man- perfect. “We have to improve “For Pecco, I think he race in Qatar. everything really difficult. Fifth place Quartararo also it’s good because I can see the nai, President of the Qatar and do something different his doesn’t want to lead the race Two riders who were able “Hopefully in warm up we admitted that he’s understood data of the winner last week. Motor and Motorcycle Fed- weekend. Not every weekend is again to save the tyres. This to perform well in consecutive found something interesting some things from last Sun- We saw some points where eration (QMMF) and Losail the same, we saw last year that is the key point, the one who weekends, at the same track, and I got the feeling again a day’s outing, with the French- we were really aggressive for Circuit Sports Club, said he when there was two weekends leads the race maybe will have in 2020 were Mir and Rins. bit better, and I was able to man looking to be a smoother nothing, so I think I’ll be a bit was pleased and proud in a row, everything changed more problems in the second Most notably at the Red make a good race,” said the operator in Doha. smoother during the weekend that Qatar is hosting the a lot. So we have to be ready half but at the same time we Bull Ring and MotorLand world champion. “Yeah honestly it was a and I think it will help a lot.” two rounds of the MotoGP championship. Last weekend the new MotoGP season opened at the Losail International Cir- Sparks set to fly as MotoGP round two rolls out at Losail cuit with the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar, which was won by Yamaha rider Mav- TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK erick Viniales. From today, LOSAIL the Tissot Grand Prix of Doha will be held. AFTER a barnstormer to wel- Al Mannai said: “It’s ex- come back the world’s fastest ceptional and evidence of motorcycle racing champion- and Losail Circuit Sports ship at Losail International Club’s readiness to suc- Circuit, there’s plenty to look cessfully host the MotoGP forward to on a take two that championship in the cur- sees the grid arrive with one rent climate. We saw very man in the crosshairs: Maver- impressive racing in the first ick Vinales (Monster Energy round, where new circuit re- Yamaha MotoGP). cord was broken. As wins go, Vinales’ first of “We expect the same in the year was definitely a hard- Maverick Vinales of Monster the next round, given the ex- earned one, as well as his sec- Energy Yamaha. perience gained by the teams ond at Losail. From lights out in the first round, which it was an all-Ducati affair at Iwata marque machines.