Under the watchful eye of a camel and about three spectators, the opening round of the 2012 MotoGP season kicked off at Qatar this weekend. A new season and new rules, this time in the shape of 1,000cc prototypes and CRT (Claiming Rule Teams), which are basically highly tuned road bikes in prototype chassis. So there was an added danger - who would be the first frontline rider to face the humiliation of being overtaken by an 'inferior' bike?
Jorge Lorenzo (right) stormed by both Hondas
The MotoGP race went according to plan, almost. Casey Stoner did his usual clearing off trick with Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa in hot pursuit and the rest of the field trailing behind. A stunning battle developed for fourth and fifth between Brit Cal Crutchlow and team mate Andrea Dovizioso while at the front Stoner started to lose his lead towards the end of the race.
According to gossip, Stoner (who had been complaining about the Honda through practice) didn't do any full race simulations in testing, something he probably regretted as first Jorge steamed past and then Stoner's team mate Pedrosa. Jorge went on to win the race, going against the pre-season form and suggesting the Yamaha is better at conserving the grip of the new Bridgestone tyres than the Honda. Speaking of Yamahas, Cal Crutchlow showed his more experienced team mate a clean set of heels and finished fourth, equalling his best ever MotoGP result from the last race of last year! A superb result.
Lorenzo's win went against pre-season form
Less happy was Valentino Rossi, who languished down in 10th. Hayden, who finished sixth, showed the Ducati is getting there, but what is going on with Rossi? Most relieved man of the weekend? Ben Spies who narrowly avoided being the first prototype scalp for a CRT and finished in 11th with Colin Edwards right up his chuff.
Moto2 was its usual chaos (which is why we all love it) with the big talking point towards the end of the race. Spanish genius Marc Marquez (recovering from an eye injury sustained in a bash on the head last year that ended his title hopes and nearly his career) showed why his is so feared. As well as winning the race, Marquez caused controversy with a 'strong' overtaking maneuver on Thomas Luthi, basically showing the Swiss rider the grass and causing him to run wide. Well, that's Moto2. Brit Scott Redding took sixth and was in the leading pack, which is great news, while Bradley Smith was ninth and looked a bit off the pace. Gino Rea, in his first Moto2 race, struggled with the Moriwaki chassis, finishing 26th.
Cal Crutchlow equalled his best MotoGP finish
The first Moto3 race threw up no real surprises. The man with the best name in racing, Maverick Vinales, took the win, which was odd as, without Paris Hilton in the paddock, you would have thought the young Spaniard's keenness to impress would have reduced. Brit Danny Kent finished a strong eighth on his KTM and was well in touch for most of the race while Danny Webb was 18th on the Mahindra, a bike still being developed and a bit off the pace of the rocketship KTM and Honda 250cc singles.