MotoGP 2013 is finally here. It is round on in Qatar, at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar.
This is the closest, most prestigious motorcycle racing in the world. The Grand Prix of Qatar is the only night race on the entire MotoGP calendar.
This will be a great field. Here are the key players. Eighteen races will be run this year. Marc Marquez, reigning Moto 2 champion, will battle with Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi is back on a factory Yamaha. He is on pace. Andrea Dovizioso is now racing for Ducati. Nicky Hayden is still at Ducati. But, Ben Spies is also on a customer Ducati. Colin Edwards is on an FTR bike this year.
There is a new knockout qualifying system, too. They have a fifteen minute pole session, for four flying laps. Here are the highlights. It's a two session system. The top twelve push for the top places. Jorge Lorenzo was fast. Cal Crutchlow did well and Dani Pedrosa is also on the front row. Andrea Dovizioso runs his first race for Ducati. Marc Marquez almost colided with Dani Pedrosa. Nicky Hayden is eleventh and Ben Spies is thirteenth. Colin Edwards qualifies ninetheenth. Aleix Espargaro is top CRT. Lukas Pesek is a new rider. New rider Mike Laverty will also have a struggle on his hands.
Marc Marquez, Andrea Ianonne, Hiroshi Aoyama, Bradley Smith, Lukas Pesek, Bryan Staring, Michael Laverty and Claudio Corti, are the new riders in the series. The bikes set off on their warmup lap. This track hosted the first night race for MotoGP.
Here we go. At the start, Andrea Dovizioso gets a great start. However, Dani Pedrosa is second. Cal Crutchlow drops down. Jorge Lorenzo has the lead. Stefan Bradl and Marc Marquez are clawing their way through. Marquez passes Alvaro Bautista. Andrea Dovizioso has a great start for Ducati. Valentino Rossi has an epic start, passing Cal Crutchlow. He's going for it, wanting to pass his old Ducati bike. Rossi and Dovizioso are going to go at it all year.
Cal Crutchlow and Stefan Bradl want a piece of this. Lorenzo leads Pedrosa. Rossi runs wide! Yikes! He's too excited. He'll have to take his time for now. The nine-time champion is still trying to find his feet back on the Yamaha as Cal Crutchlow passes Andrea Dovizioso. Karel Abraham is out of this race, ditching his bike. Lorenzo moves ahead of Pedrosa. Cal Crutchlow is pushing Pedrosa, while Marquez and Dovizioso scrap, too.
Here comes Marquez. This guy is fast! Lorenzo runs a 1:55.5, Crutchlow a 1:55.8. These two are just under the 1:56 barrier. Cal Crutchlow wants by Dani Pedrosa. Lorenzo is covering this race so far as four laps are now completed. Stefan Bradl passes Andrea Dovizioso. He's doing well for Ducati, but finding his feet. Pedrosa wiggles, and here comes Cal Crutchlow. Marquez sweeps around Cal Crutchlow. The Moto 2 champ is third, running a 1:55.4 for fast lap.
Can Crutchlow fight Marquez? Marquez sets another fast lap at 1:55.4. Valentino Rossi is now sixth. Jorge Lorenzo opens the lead gap while this battle between Pedrosa, Marquez and Crutchlow, is still simmering. Marquez is right behind Pedrosa. He wants it. But, he can't get the place. Lorenzo stretches his lead. Cal Crutchlow is pushing Marc Marquez. Alvaro Bautista pressures Andrea Dovizioso. Nicky Hayden is ninth with Andrea Ianonne, tenth. Rossi is right on top of Stefan Bradl. Rossi has won at Qatar, three times. Right now, Crutchlow is right on top of Marquez.
Lorenzo is leading, running a 1:55.9. He's very quick. The gap between Lorenzo and Pedrosa is 2.7 seconds. Bradl is being pushed by Rossi. Valentino Rossi sticks fifth spot. Seven laps are complete. Lorenzo is in the zone. He's going for it, knocking down the quick laps. Cal Crutchlow is close to Marc Marquez. Marquez is going quicker now. Lorenzo, though, is checking out. Andrea Ianonne is still tenth. Ben Spies is trying his best on the Ducati. He had a shoulder operation after injury last year.
Randy de Puniet wants by Aleix Espargaro (those two are team mates). Stefan Bradl might be out of the race. Where is Bradl? He's crashed. He's out of this race. Bradley Smith and Bryan Staring, have also taken falls. Valentino Rossi is settled in fifth. Marquez is right up on Pedrosa at this point. Marquez and Pedrosa are going to be rivals this year. It's not true that if riders are team mates, they'll be best of friends.
Pedrosa, Marquez, and Crutchlow, continue their three way scrap. Eleven laps left. Valentino Rossi is 4/10ths quicker than Marquez, Pedrosa, and Crutchlow. Marquez is trying. He's coming close. Cal Crutchlow is coming, too. He wants to get by Marquez. Rossi almost three seconds behind Cal Crutchlow. This race is half over. There are ten laps to go. Can Marquez pass Pedrosa? No. Rossi runs 1:55.9, his personal best lap. Nicky Hayden is coming quickly, too. Andrea Ianonne and Aleix Espargaro run ninth and tenth.
Hector Barbera is thirteenth, moving up from 22nd. He is on an FTR Kawasaki CRT bike. Colin Edwards, on another CRT bike, is right behind. Hiroshi Aoyama is also down the order. Marc Marquez can't get by Dani Pedrosa. Marquez still tries Pedrosa. This is the fastest of the three classes. They're heavier, and much more powerful than Moto 2 and Moto 3. Danilo Petrucci retires from the race. Lorenzo looks to be on his way to victory here.
Seven laps remain. Valentino Rossi is going to go for it. He wants to get into this. He, Jorge Lorenzo, former rider Sete Gibernau, they could all pass their competition really well. Marc Marquez wants by Dani Pedrosa. But, Marquez can't take too many risks on his debut. But, he slides past Pedrosa and he's now second! Can he win his first ever race? Will Marquez get to Lorenzo? Rossi runs another best lap. Pedrosa will be sickened if he's beaten by his new team mate. Lorenzo's going to win this thing. But, watch for Marc Marquez.
Marquez is pulling ahead of Pedrosa. Can Cal Crutchlow go for it? Pedrosa is in trouble. Valentino Rossi is also going to take his chances. Valentino Rossi passes Cal Crutchlow who runs off the road. Rossi is catching the Repsol Honda's! What will he do? Valentino Rossi is right behind Pedrosa. Rossi wants the place. Pedrosa slams the door in his face. Rossi slides past Pedrosa! He's trying to catch Marc Marquez. Will Rossi teach Marquez a lesson? Rossi is reeling in Marquez. Marquez isn't giving up at all. Rossi has got second. Marquez wants it, but Rossi says, "no, no, sunshine". "The doctor" is back in the house.
Jorge Lorenzo is on cruise control. He couldn't care less what those cats behind him are up to. Marc Marquez is going to finish well. Marquez goes outside into turn one. Marquez slides by on the outside. Marquez says "there you go, man. You know I'm here." Rossi says, "dude, I'm not done yet", passing back by. Two laps to go now. There could be a photo finish. Marc Marquez is mentored by former 125cc champion Emilio Alzamora. This is the last lap. Marquez goes inside and can't get by.
Through turns four and five, Marquez doesn't have enough. Dani Pedrosa is out of contention. Now, Rossi pulls away from Marquez, saying, "hey, man. You're going to have to get through me if you want to show you're worthy." Marquez is a scrapper. But it's Yamaha's day. Marquez isn't going to stop. Jorge Lorenzo wins it!
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
Who gets second? Rossi! What a great race!
The next race is in the United States. It's the first event for MotoGP at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. That race is in two weeks.
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