MOTOGP
2016 MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 1 / MARCH 20, 2016
LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT / DOHA, QATAR
P40
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
J
orge Lorenzo was master
of the MotoGP night shift
workers in Qatar. After
an on-the-grid tire change, the
defending World Champion
started from pole position and
finished the same way, starting
the new season just as he had
finished the last.
But it was not an easy race
for the Movistar Yamaha rider.
Instead of running away, it
took him until lap nine of 21 to
get into the lead and until the
penultimate lap to make sure he
could stay there. But then it was
emphatic, the Spaniard winning
by two seconds.
The super-fast factory Ducatis
had taken early control, until
early leader Andrea Iannone
slipped off. Then Lorenzo had
to fend off strong pressure from
Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez.
This he did with the fastest
lap of the race—a new record—
on the 20th of 21 laps. It was a
strong vindication of the per-
WORLD CHAMPION JORGE
THAT'S DOMINATING QUALIFYING
S M O O T H A S G L A S
