Motogp: Vinales Is Fastest in Qatar
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Sport MONDAY 29 MARCH 2021 FormulaF 1: Hamilton holds off Verstappen Wow, what a difficult race that was. Max was all over me rright at the end, but I just about managed to hold him off. It wasw one of the hardest races I've had for a while. Towards the eend, he simply told his race engineer to 'leave me to it.' Seven-times Formula One world champion Sport |09 Lewis Hamilton QATAR 2022: EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS Georgia 1-2 Spain, Albania 0-2 England, Armenia 2-0 Iceland, Kazakhstan 0-2 France Yamaha star wins season's first race as Joan Mir fails in podium push MotoGP: Vinales is fastest in Qatar RIZWAN REHMAT THE PENINSULA BARWA GRAND PRIX OF QATAR Yamaha’s Vinales overcame a slow start to win the MOTOGP (TOP 15) season-opening Qatar Grand Prix Two weeks ago, Spanish 1. Maverick Viñales (SPA/Yamaha) 42'28.663 MotoGP star Maverick Vinales 2. Johann Zarco (FRA/Ducati) +1.092 said he would look to impress 3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) +1.129 Defending world champion Joan Mir looked set to take a fans in the season-opener in 4. Joan Mir (SPA/Suzuki) +1.222 podium on the final lap but lost out to Johann Zarco and Qatar. Last night, at the iconic 5. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) +3.030 Francesco Bagnaia. Losail International Circuit 6. Alex Rins (SPA/Suzuki) +3.357 (LIC), the Yamaha star did 7. Aleix Espargaro (SPA/Aprilia) +5.934 exactly that by winning the first 8. Pol Espargaro (SPA/Honda) +5.990 Bagnaia and team mate Jack Miller were lightning quick race of the 2021 season with a 9. Jack Miller (AUS/Ducati) +7.058 off the line at the start while Zarco and his team mate teasing battle with Johan Zarco 10. Enea Bastianini (ITA/Ducati) +9.288 Jorge Martin quickly gained positions to make it a and pole winner Francesco 11 Stefan Bradl (GER/Honda) +10.299 Ducati-powered top four in the opening lap as the Bagnaia. 12. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) +10.742 The 26-year-old, despite a 13. Miguel Oliveira (POR/Ktm) +11.457 Yamahas fell back. slow start, won the 22-lap 14. Brad Binder (RSA/Ktm) +14.100 Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar in a 15. Jorge Martin (SPA/Ducati) +16.422 Zarco overtook Miller to move into second while time of 42:28.663 for his 9th win WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo also moved up to third in a in the MotoGP class. feisty battle for third. Vinales, the 2013 Moto3 1. Maverick Viñales (SPA/Yamaha) 25 2. Johann Zarco (FRA/Ducati) 20 world champion, finished ahead 3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Ducati) 16 But Miller, who impressed in pre-season testing with his of Zarco (Pramac Racing) who 4. Joan Mir (SPA/Suzuki) 13 was +1.092 seconds slower on 5. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha) 11 new team, continued to struggle as Vinales, who started a night when swirling winds on the front row, picked off the Australian to move up to made racing difficult. MOTO2 (TOP 3) fourth. Third-placed Bagnaia - who 1. Sam Lowes (GBR/Kalex) 40:03.123 stole the show with a pole- 2. Remy Gardner (AUS/Kalex) +2.260 winning performance on Sat- 3. Fabio di Giannantonio (ITA/Kalex) +5.228 While the Yamahas were not as fast as the Ducatis on urday - secured the third place the straights, Vinales was able to find more speed and on the podium for Ducati. The CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS grip on the corners and he first overtook Zarco before 24-year-old Italian was +1.129 1. Sam Lowes (GBR/Kalex) 25 pts taking the race lead from Bagnaia with eight laps to go. seconds slower than Vinales. 2. Remy Gardner (AUS/Kalex) 20 Defending champion Joan 3. Fabio di Giannantonio (ITA/Kalex) 16 Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was Monster Energy pushed to the fourth spot (+1.222 Yamaha MotoGP's MOTO3 (TOP 3) seconds) while Vinales’ sta- Spanish rider Maverick 1. Jaume Masia (ESP/KTM) 38:29.620 blemate Fabio Quartararo of Vinales celebrates 2. Pedro Acosta (ESP/KTM) +0.042 France completed the top five after winning the 3. Darryn Binder (RSA/Honda) +0.094 (+3.030 seconds). MotoGP Barwa Grand Mir, who started the race in Prix of Qatar at the CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 10th place on the grid, last night Losail International 1. Jaume Masia (ESP/KTM) 25 pts 2. Pedro Acosta (ESP/KTM) 20 looked set for a podium finish Circuit, yesterday. but somehow failed to push his 3. Darryn Binder (RSA/Honda) 16 bike after the final corner as Zarco and Bagnaia clinched the issue on the final straight with their bikes exhibiting superior speed. Spain’s Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar, +3.357 seconds), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, +5.934 seconds), QMMF and LCSC President Abdulrahman Al Mannai receiving Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda the trophy from Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. Team, +5.990 seconds), Aus- tralia’s Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team, +7.058 seconds) Dorna praises Qatar and Italy’s Enea Bastianini (Esponsorama Racing, +9.288 seconds) completed the top 10. for super show “The start didn’t go well but after that I felt the potential. I Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta on Saturday handed over a special was saving tyres to find the right trophy to QMMF and LCSC President Abdulrahman Al Mannai moment,” Vinales said after the and LCSC General manager and Vice President Khalid Al Remaihi exciting race. for putting together a fantastic show to open the new MotoGP “I tried to be very smart, season at LIC. After receiving the award from Ezpeleta, Al Mannai very calm, and chose the right said: “We are delighted to receive this award. We are proud place to push. I am happy with members of the MotoGP family. Qatar has been a home for this win. I want to thank my Vinales on his way to victory in the season's first race. MotoGP for a long time. Every year it gets more exciting. We team and my family,” Vinales are proud of this award and we thank you.” added. “The end was difficult,” Zarco said. “I tried to catch passed by Raul but I was sur- new season when he edged past Vinales but I was sliding a lot. prised at his (Sam’s) pace. His compatriot and rookie KTM sta- At the end Mir cut me back, but pace was strong. It was hard to blemate Pedro Acosta in a tight thanks to my engine I was able keep up especially with the contest at LIC. Masia clocked to finish second,” the Italian wind factor. Anyway, I am the fastest time of 38’29.620 to added. happy to start the season this take the chequered flag and way. These are important fourth win of his career. Acosta Moto2: Sam Lowes points,” the Australian added. was only 0.042 seconds slower Di Giannantonio, despite his than Masia. storms to victory third-place finish, was thrilled. Pole position winner Darryn “If you listen to my voice, Binder (Petronas Sprinta British rider and pole you won’t be able to hear much Racing) finished the exciting winner Sam Lowe (Elf Marc VDS because I was screaming so 18-lap race in third place just Racing Team) yesterday con- much in the last lap (smiles),” 0.094s behind Masia. Spain’s tinued from where he left off on the young Italian said. Sergio Garca (GasGas Gaviota Saturday and posted the new “I think what happened Aspar) finished in fourth spot (+ season’s first Moto2 win. Lowes today is incredible. We had a lot 0.435 seconds) while Argen- headed a list of nine Kalex bikes Moto2 winner Sam Lowes on the podium. Moto3 winner Jaume Masia of troubles during the winter. tina’s Gabriel Rodrigo (Indo- to pick up his win in a time of This was all done by my heart. nesia Gresini Racing Moto3) 40’03.123. five in the 20-lap race held It’s my style. I had to cover a lot “I got swallowed at the first I think what we did was ended the season’s first Moto3 Australia’s Remy Gardner under lights. of surface area in my corner lap. It seems it happens every incredible. I am having difficult battle in fifth place (+ 0.880 (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished in Lowes said hard work in the entry. I just tried to stay low and year. Perhaps they (the riders) to speak but I am so happy. I seconds). second spot just 2.260 seconds off-season paid off handsome get out of the win. It was a dif- have more steam than I do. I got want to thank my team. I have Italy’s Niccolo Antonelli behind Lowes. Italy’s Fabio Di dividends yesterday. ficult race just to not make a extra bit of weight. Soon an amazing crew. This is just the (Reale Avintia Moto3, + 0.899), Giannantonio (Federal Oil “I worked for this race for mistake. My pace was strong. I afterward I found my bang. I beginning,” he added. Spain’s Izan Guevara (GasGas Gresini Moto2) clinched the the last few months obviously am so proud of myself and to was on it,” Gardner said Gaviota Aspar, + 0.965), Japan’s third spot on the podium in a doing the runs in the practice. start the season like this. It was yesterday. Masia scorches to Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power, time of 40’08.351. We just had to get into that a tough 10 laps and we will do “I could see Sam getting in + 1.950), Tatsuki Suzuki, also of Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi position and stick to what we it again next week,” he added.