Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/956070
MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 / MARCH 18, 2018 LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT / DOHA, QATAR P86 iii My Own Race: 04 ANDREA DOVIZIOSO 1ST MOTOGP "I'm really happy with this win because we have confirmed the improve- ments made over the winter and I was able to manage the race well, even though I made a really bad start," said winner Andrea Dovizioso. "On the first lap, I had to come off the gas, otherwise I would have crashed into Rins, I think, but then I began to make up places, trying not to ruin the tires. Towards the end, after passing Zarco, I tried to pull out a gap on Marquez and Rossi, but I didn't have any more grip and was unable to in- crease my lead. At the last curve, I had to be very careful because I knew that Marquez would try and pass me, and that's how it went. He closed the door on me even more than in Austria and Japan, but I passed him on the inside of the curb and then took advantage of the power of my Desmosedi- ci to stay ahead. Once again, it was a great satisfaction!" 93 MARC MARQUEZ 2ND MOTOGP "What a race!" Marc Marquez said. "I'm really happy with our second-place fin- ish because this is one of the tracks on the calendar where we struggle most. After the pre-season test we knew what we could expect. With the hard front tire I was struggling a bit in the left corners but with the medium I wouldn't have fin- ished the race. I tried to pass Dovi in the last corner but he beat me. Honestly, I was expecting that, but I had to try the move anyway, to see if there was any way we could make it happen. In the end, Dovi had something more than me and he deserves this win. Even if he was a bit behind at the start, I was waiting for him—I was waiting for the red! I knew his tactic was to push at the end and when he passed Zarco I said to myself, 'Let's go!' I followed him and almost went wide, but it was a great race and a great show. The thing I'm most happy about is that, this time, we were able to stay with him on the straight and this is very good." 46 VALENTINO ROSSI 3RD MOTOGP "It was a great fight and a great race," Valentino Rossi said. "Sincerely, last year it was a bigger surprise to me—it was less expected than to ar- rive on the podium. With the bike from this year, I feel good. This time I was more competitive and I knew I could do a good race, but you never know if it's enough for the podium because we were with 10 strong rid- ers. I tried to push from the beginning, because I started from the third row and on the first lap I was able to overtake some guys. The other key point were the final laps, when like last year the strongest on the track were Dovizioso and Marquez. I knew they had enough to change the rhythm, but I'm very happy that I could go with them today and arrive at the finish line close to them, at the end. Unfortunately, it was not enough for the victory, but the podium is a great way to start." 35 CAL CRUTCHLOW 4TH MOTOGP "I'm happy," said LCR Honda Castrol's Cal Crutchlow. "Obviously, the aim was the podium today, but then again the aim was also to finish in the points which we haven't done here for the past two years. It's a long champion- ship and I want to thank my LCR Honda CASTROL Team who have done a great job over the winter. As have Honda as a manufacturer, they've done a fantastic job with the engine and it meant that we were a bit more competi- tive, especially on the straight. That 'elastic band' just snapped when I got behind Zarco. The front three got away and when I got past him, I was at the same pace as them. I couldn't gain on them, but I wasn't losing either, and that's when I just decided to bring it home and collect the 13 points."