DOHA: Spain’s Pol Espargaro yesterday started capped a spectacular run of form across two seasons by winning the opening round of the 2013 Moto2 World Championship at Losail International Circuit.
Espargaro, riding a Kalex bike, overcame a pulsating challenge from Britain’s Scott Redding, to seal his win with a time of 40min 31.782secs.
Riding for Tuenti HP 40, the 21-year-old quelled a stiff chase by Redding who finished just .844secs slower than the Spaniard.
For Redding, riding for Marc VDS Racing Team, it was a weekend to remember in Qatar as the Briton began from the front grid on row second, his best ever qualifying spot.
In third place was Takaaki Nakagami of Japan, Nakagami, riding for Italtrans Racing Team, was 12.098secs off the pace set by Espargaro in 22-degree Celsius temperature.
Espargaro has now managed five successive race starts from pole position (four at the end of last season), equalling the record set by MotoGP rider Stefan Bradl in 2010. Technomag carXpertSuter’s Dominqiue Aegerter of Switzerland (+18.910), Marc VDS Racing Team’s Mika Kallio of Finland (+18.933) and Italtrans Racing Team’s Julian Simon (+19.018) finished in fourth, fifth and sixth spots respectively.
For home fans, there was disappointment and delight in equal measure.
QMMF Racing Team rider Anthony West crashed out of the race in 11th lap after starting from the 15th gird.
West’s team-mate Rafid Topn Sucipto of Indonesia completed the race in 26th spot after six riders retired mid-way the season opener.
“It was a perfect start for us,” Espargaro said. “I must say that Takaaki made things difficult for us in the first five or seven laps,” the Spaniard added.
“It was a tough weekend as new tyres were’t smooth. I am so happy 9with the result) and I thank my team-mates. They did a great job. We will definitely be fighting for the championship. It is good to collect win points,” he added. Redding said: “It was a tricky and fast last lap. I had clutch issues in the warm-up but my team did a great job to fix that. It has been a great start for us.”
Nakagami said: “I am happy to be on the podium for the first time. It was difficult as there was good speed from all riders. Third place makes me happy.”
In Moto3, Luis Salom clinched the issue with a sensational finish in the first race of the new season.
The KTM rider - trailing from the first lap of the race - recovered in fine fashion to seal his win in 38mins 26.859secs. It was the Spaniard’s third Moto3 win of his young career.
Salom - who was the pole winner on Saturday - finished the race ahead of Maverick Vinales and Alex Rins.
Vinales, riding a KTM, was just .417secs slower than Salom while Rins, who started the race from the third grid, was .701secs off the pace set by Salom.
Salom celebrate his first career pole position with a big smile and a few words at the podium presentation ceremony,
“I am very, very happy,” Salom said. “I think I make a good job with my team,” the Spaniard said.
Vinales, 18, said: “I improved as the race went on. It was really crazy in the first lap but I settled down afterwards. I think it was a really fast race.”
For 21-year-old Salom, yesterday’s race was an improvement from last year’s fourth-place finish at Losail Circuit but Vinales dropped a notch after winning the race in Qatar last season.
Rins, just 17 years of age, finished 10th last season but yesterday the Spaniard claimed his first podium of the new season.
Alex Marquez of Spain (.701secs adrift of Salom) was fourth while Jonas Folger of Germany was fifth. Folger, riding a Kalex bike for Mapfire Aspar team, was .916secs.
Malaysian rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Red Bull) ended the race in sixth spot despite starting the race from 11th grid. Khairuddin was 17.489secs adrift off the pace set by Salom.
The MotoGP family now moves to Austin, Texas in the US for the second round of the 18-leg 2013 World Championship.
The Peninsula
