SPORT MondayMon 27 March 2017 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 PAGE | 27 Vettel masters Ronaldo takes FFederer, Wawrinka Hamilton Portugal tally to 70 advance in Melbourne in Hungary stroll in Miami Stunning Magnificent Morbidelli win for Kunii The Peninsula he second round of the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup T saw Yuki Kunii take the win on the drag to the line, starts 2017 season in style after compatriot Ryusei Yamanaka just lost out. Haruki Noguchi completed an all-Jap- Rizwan Rehmat for us so I will take this. I'd say "I want to thank my team for GRAND PRIX OF QATAR anese the podium in P3 after The Peninsula 'well done' to the team." this great result," the Honda star MOTO2: RESULT another tight race for the Nagakami, 25, said he was said. "I kept saying all week this 1: F. Morbidelli 40:18.480 impressive IATC class of 2017. ole winner Franco happy with his first podium of bike is great. The race was tough 2: T. Luthi +2.681 There was drama at the Morbidelli of Italy yes- the new season. but the end was great," he said. 3: T. Nakagami +3.304 start of the Warm Up lap as terday stormed to a "I never look back. I always "I have to say it was an 4: M. Oliveira +3.584 double Buriram winner and commanding win on look ahead. If I look back, then I amazing start to my season," Mir points leader Deniz Oncu 5: A. Marquez +11.226 his Kalex bike, taking can;t focus ahead," Nagakami said. couldn’t get off the line, get- 6: L. Marini +13.747 Pthe opening Grand Prix of the said yesterday. "In truth, I was a McPhee sounded relieved ting started from pitlane and season ahead of veteran rider bit unstable at the start but I fin- with his second-finish. 7: F. Quartararo +13.988 then lining up at the back of Thomas Luthi and Japan's ished strong," he added. "Yes, I can't believe how well 8: L. Baldassarri +17.465 the grid for the start. With Takaaki Nakagami. Earlier, Qatar's Saeed Al we did as a team. In the end, eve- 9: X. Vierge +17.477 Kunii starting from pole, the Morbidelli, 22, raced his Sulaiti crashed out in the 7th lap, rything seemed to go well. I 10: A. Pons +17.767 race was on for Oncu to make maiden Moto2 win in a time of just 11 minutes into the race. He strayed a bit in the race but I have MOTO3: RESULT it up through the field – and 40.18.480 just seconds before a remained unhurt. Remy Gard- to say I ticked all the boxes over- 1: J. Mir 38:27.364 the Turkish rider sliced back light drizzle forced a delayed ner also crashed out in what was all," McPhee said. 2: J. Mcphee +0.135 to the front to know on the start for the MotoGP riders at the the first lap of the race. "This is a great start to the 3: J. Martin +0.218 door to the top five after only Losail International Circuit (LIC). Reigning Moto3 World season. All week we worked 4: A. Canet +0.252 a couple of laps. Luthi, a veteran of 9 Moto2 Champion Brad Binder (Red Bull extremely hard and it paid off," 5: R. Fenati +0.453 After a slightly difficult start wins, was 2.681 seconds behind KTM Ajo), coming off injury, the 22-year-old Briton said. 6: A. Migno +0.579 for Kunii off the line, the Japa- while Nagakami (Idemitsu struggled and finished in 20th Third-placed Martin was 7: N. Antonelli +0.661 nese rider fought back straight Honda Team Asia) grabbed a spot. ecstatic with his result in the new 8: F. Di Giannantonio +0.878 away on the inside of Turn 1 to podium spot just 3.304 seconds Earlier in the evening, Joan season. take it back from Can Öncü and 9: M. Ramirez +1.693 off the pace set by Morbidelli Mir headed a Honda 1-2-3 as the "It was hard at the beginning Gerry Salim. As the grid settled who rides for EG 0,0 Marc VDS. Spaniard produced an 'amazing' but once I got calmer, I did well," 10: A. Norrodin +7.904 into formation, Yamanaka was Miguel Oliveira (KTM, + 3.584 result to grab the honour's in the Martin, 22, said. "I tried to catch out front initially, before the seconds) and Alex Marquez season's first Moto3 Grand Prix the group at the top but I will say Italian Moto2 rider Franco poleman fought back to take (Kalex, + 11.226 seconds) com- by edging John McPhee and Jorge I am happy with this result. Morbidelli celebrates on the over at the front. pleted the top 5 in Moto2. Martin to the top spot. "I am extremely pleased that podium after winning the Chopping and changing Mobidelli, who built a lead of Mir showed little rust by I finished third," Martin said. Grand Prix of Qatar yesterday. positions with only two sec- more than 2 seconds over Luthi clocking a time of 38.27.364 to The season's next race will Morbidelli, 22, raced to his onds covering the top five, by with 11 laps to go, was pleased win the 18-lap race under lights be held in Argentina on April 9 maiden Moto2 win in a time 7 laps to go Deniz Öncü had with his season's first at LIC. It was Mir's second career at the Termas de Río Hondo of 40.18.480 at the Losail hit the front for the first time performance. win. Circuit. International Circuit. as his comeback hit full speed, "It just feels great," Morbidelli McPhee, the British Talent with Yamanaka, Can Öncü, said after edging Luthi to the top Team rider, was just 0.135 sec- Hendriansya and Salim along- spot. "It was a good race. I have onds slower than Mir while side the Buriram winner at the to tell that winning the first race Martin - who was on pole for the head of the field. of the season is a good sensa- race - was 0.218 off the pace set It was a Japanese attack on tions. I am happy to get the win by the day's winner. the last lap, before Kunii found in this fashion," the Italian said. Aron Canet, also of Honda, a way past Yamanaka on the Swiss veteran Luthi (CarX- (+0.252 seconds) and Romano penultimate corner to take the pert Interwetten) chose his Fenati (+0.453) completed the top lead – despite the risk of slip- words carefully when he said: "I five. streaming to the line. As the top tried to fight with him. He took Mir - who started in 6th spot group straightened up on the it easy at the start. Maybe easy is in second row - was thrilled with way to the final flag, Yamanaka not the word but I could push the outcome in the first race of Spanish rider Joan Mir (front) of dived out from behind his him at the start." the season. Leopard Racing leads the way during the compatriot just before the line The 30-year-old added: "I "I can't believe it. It was Moto3 race of the Grand Prix of Qatar – but it was Kunii who held had good pace. I tried hard but amazing race, an amazing result yesterday. Mir grabbed the season's first onto it by a few thousandths. he had that tiny head speed. I for me," Mir said. "It is just amaz- victory yesterday. Noguchi took an impressive could have pushed more but I ing to begin the year like this," third place, completing an all- couldn't. It wasn't easy in testing he added. Japanese podium. Doha blazes trail of glory as spectacular show ends Fawad Hussain will like to come back to Doha Hitmi said his team will continue The Peninsula and compete here,” said the the efforts to lift the sport. 29-year-old. He added the QGF was not he Qatar Gymnastics Fed- Pablo Braegger failed to win just making efforts to host major eration (QGF) delivered the gold and had to be content events but it is also taking meas- Tanother spectacle of top- with bronze medal in men’s ring ures to produce world class notch gymnastics action by event on the last day, but the gymnasts from Qatar. hosting the four-day FIG Artis- Swiss also expressed his content “It’s difficult to retain some tic World Cup, leaving Romanian with his sojourn in Doha. youngsters as they leave for giant Catalina Ponor promising “It was an amazing experi- other sports when they grow up, a return for next year's World ence to perform here in front of but we’re working out plans on Championships to be held in the good number of spectators. I am how to keep them,” said QGF Qatari capital. looking forward to return here President. The annual event, which next year.” “We’ve been able to create a concluded on Saturday, saw par- Meanwhile, International platform for gymnasts through ticipation of over 240 gymnasts Gymnastics Federation (FIG) our development programmes and officials from 30 countries. China's Zhou Jingyuan in action during the final day of the 10th FIG Artistic World Cup at coach Takashi Kobayashi hailed and the schools have also shown Chinese gymnasts regaled fans Aspire Dome on Saturday.