At last! The new season for MotoGP in a new decade. Much to look forward to, and then, Coronavirus! A nasty, previously unknown strain of the flu virus, spreading disruption on a global scale. So no MotoGP race, Qatar deciding to quarantine anyone from Italy where many top riders and teams reside.
Fortunately, the Moto3 and Moto2 guys were already in Qatar for testing, and this meant races for those classes would go ahead.
Down to business and after a crowded Quali it was #1 Tatsuki Suzuki, #2 Raul Fernandez #3 Albert Arenas. In 6th, our tip for the championship, Jaume Masia now sporting Leopard colours.
Tatsuki Suzuki had a flying start, clean and controlled to take the lead with Albert Arenas and Raul Fernandez in hot pursuit, and Deniz Oncu in 4th. Jaume Masia was slow on take-off and baulked into 11th, from 6th.
With 16 laps to go the riders were getting into a furious pace, with at least fourteen bikes in line, and Albert Arenas leading Tony Arbolino and Darren Binder through the curves. Switching places on each lap, by ten laps to go Jaume Masia had pulled up from a lowly 11th to 2nd, with Raul Fernandez leading and Suzukisan 3rd.
7 laps to go and it was Albert Arenas, Tony Arbolino and Binder, with Masia holding station in 6th. 4 to go and Suzuki was leading a huge train of 12 bikes, John McPhee had made steady progress to 2nd, and Binder 3rd, Masia now back in 6th.
Last lap and Gabriel Rodriguez shot into first with Binder and McPhee close by, Masia still 6th. Very briefly Binder was in the lead, until, yeah you guessed it, he binned it, spoiling Arbolino’s race too. This put Albert Arenas in the lead with John McPhee 2nd and Jaume Masia 3rd, Ai Ogura a close 4th, and that is how it was across the finish line.
Once back in parc ferme, a confused looking Jaume Masia was spoken to by officials, for exceeding track limits he was put back a place. Macaulay had raced his heart out, had a podium for minutes then back to fourth. Ai Ogura was slotted into third, for some reason he did not look happy about anything, our guess is he had a chance to win, and a racer always wants the top spot.
It was an exciting race with the Moto3 guys maintaining the reputation for the closest racing, much more to come, well we hope, that nasty little virus already postponing the Thai GP, and Austin also under threat.
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Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
