MOTOGP
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 1/MARCH 23, 2014
LOSAIL CIRCUIT/LOSAIL, QATAR
P40
RABAT BY
INCHES
Title favorite Tito Rabat had taken
pole for the Moto2 GP after switching
to take Scott Redding's seat on the
Marc VDS team's Kalex, and he turned
that pole into a race victory.
Rabat got a strong start – only to
be pushed wide into the first corner by
Team Asia's Takaaki Nakagami. Rabat
finished the first lap fourth, behind his
teammate Mika Kallio and briefly also
Thomas Luthi on the Interwetten Suter.
Nakagami made a fair attempt at a
breakaway, but was chased down by
Kallio and by lap six Rabat as well, the
three already pulling clear of Simone
Corsi.
Kallio had been lucky to
escape unhurt in an innocent
crash the day before that had
destroyed his bike, and con-
sidered himself lucky to stay a close
third as the other two battled furiously
up front. Rabat took the win by inches,
but worse was to come for Nakagami.
The subsequent technical inspection
discovered an illegal air filter, and he
was disqualified.
This put Kallio second to his
teammate, and promoted Luthi to the
rostrum.
The Swiss rider had fought back
in the closing stages, bringing Moto3
World Champion and class rookie
Moto2 winner Tito Rabat
is flanked by Takaaki
Nakagami (left) and
Mika Kallio (right) Naka-
gami was disqualified
from second place for
having an illegal air filter
on his Honda.
