MOTOGP
FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 1 / MARCH 26, 2017
LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT / DOHA, QATAR
P62
MOTO3: SCHOOL'S BACK IN!
The first race of the new year
was typical Moto3, both nail-
biting and heart-warming. And,
importantly, run at last on a fully
dry track.
Halfway through, the lead
pack was still 12-strong, and
covered by less than 1.3 sec-
onds. It would get bigger as a
13th rider joined in next time
around—and it was only on lap
13 that it started to shrink, as
Juan Guevara (KTM) and Phillip
Philipp Oettl (KTM) crashed out
after the latter had skittled the
former.
In the end it was a triumph for
Honda, taking the first five posi-
tions, the top eight still within
the same second.
First-time pole qualifier Jorge
Martin, who switched from Ma-
hindra to Honda with the Gresini
team, led the first lap.
Next time around it was Leop-
ard Honda's Joan Mir up front,
and they shared the lead over
the line until Guevara took a turn
on lap eight.
Positions were somewhat
notional, however, the pack very
close and shuffling constantly.
All the same, Mir led over
the line from laps 11 to the end,
showing remarkable authority
for his second GP victory.
John McPhee (Honda) also
led one lap, and managed to
hang on to second from Martin
over the line buy less than a
tenth.
Aron Canet (EG Honda) was
narrowly fourth ahead of re-
turned bad boy Romano Fe-
nati; with one-lap leader Andrea
Migno (VR46 KTM) sixth, inches
clear of Red Bull KTM's Niccolo
Antonelli. Martin's Gresini team-
mate Di Giannantonio was next,
with KTM rider Marcos Ramirez
less than a second behind, and
the more distant Adam Norrodin
(Honda) a lone 10th.
Amazingly, given the close
combat, there were only four
non-finishers. A great way to
start the season. CN
MotoGP
1. Maverick Vinales (Yam)
2. Andrea Dovizioso (Duc)
3. Valentino Rossi (Yam)
4. Marc Marquez (Hon)
5. Dani Pedrosa (Hon)
Moto2
1. Franco Morbidelli (Kal)
2. Thomas Luthi (Kal)
3. Taka Nakagami (Kal)
4. Miguel Oliveria (KTM)
5. Alex Marquez (Kal)
Moto3
1. Joan Mir (Hon)
2. John McFee (Hon)
3. Jorge Martin (Hon)
4. Aron Canet (Hon)
5. Romano Fenati (Hon)
cont. on page 64
