NINE-TIME former world champion Valentino Rossi won the 2015 MotoGP season opener in Qatar after battling with Ducati riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone.
Rossi, 36, came up against the Ducati GP15s of both Dovizioso and Iannone, who finished second and third respectively, creating an all Italian podium with Yamaha on top.
After an intense battle and numerous leader changes, the opening race showed the Ducati team our now serious contenders for the 2015 MotoGP season.
Reigning world champion Marc Marquez ran wide at turn one of the first lap after nearly colliding with Alvaro Bautista. The set-back put Marquez at the back of the pack. The 21-year-old managed to slice his way back through the field, but could only manage fifth behind Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo.
Marquez’s team-mate Dani Pedrosa finished in sixth, 10.755s off the pace of Rossi. Pedrosa has since revealed he’s been suffering from arm pump for over a year.
CWM LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow finished in seventh place, just over 12 seconds off Rossi's pace, but the Brit was the leading satellite rider.
Monster Yamaha Tech 3 riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro finished in eighth and ninth respectively, with only 0.117s between them.
Aleix Espargaro finished in 11th for Team Suzuki Ecstar, 19 seconds off Rossi's pace, with his rookie team-mate Maverick Vinales finishing in 14th place.
Avintia Racing’s Hector Barbera finished as the top Open class rider in 15th.
Race results:
1. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 42:35.717
2. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team 42:35.891 (+0.174)
3. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team 42:37.967(+2.250)
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 42:38.424(+2.707)
5. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team 42:42.753 (+7.036)
6. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team 42:46.472 (+10.755)
7. Cal Crutchlow GBR CWM LCR Honda 42:48.101 (+12.384)
8. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 42:48.631 (+12.914)
9. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 42:48.748 (+13.031)
10. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing 42:53.152 (+17.435)
11. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar 42:55.618 (+19.901)
12. Danilo Petrucci ITA Pramac Racing 43:0.149 (+24.432)
13. Scott Redding GBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 43:7.749 (+32.032)
14. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar 43:9.180 (+33.463)
15. Hector Barbera* ESP Avintia Racing 43:9.342 (+33.625)
16. Stefan Bradl* GER Athina Forward Racing 43:9.661 (+38.944)
17. Nicky Hayden* USA Aspar 43:14.687 (+38.970)
18. Eugene Laverty* IRL Aspar 43:22.287 (+46.570)
19. Mike Di Meglio* FRA Avintia Racing 43:34.928 (+59.211)
20. Alex De Angelis RSM Octo IodaRacing 43:50.698 (+1:14.981)
21. Marco Melandri ITA Factory Aprilia Gresini 44:23.860 (+1:48.143)
22. Loris Baz* FRA Athina Forward Racing (+3 laps)
DNF. Karel Abraham* CZE Cardion AB Motoracing
DNF. Jack Miller* AUS CWM LCR Honda
DNF. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini
- Sign up for Visordown's weekly newsletter, Bugsplat, to get the best motorcycle news, road tests and features plus exclusive competitions and offers direct to your inbox. Register as a Visordown member here and tick the box for Bugsplat in your newsletter settings here.
