Mission Winnow Ducati’s Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso (right) and Repsol Honda’s Spanish rider Marc Marquez compete during the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix in this March 10, 2019 file photo. AFP
Doha, Qatar: As MotoGP hurtles to Round 4 of the season in 2025, it’s the floodlights of Qatar that are set to illuminate the Championship battle once more. However, the Lusail International Circuit has gained a reputation for hosting classics over the years, so we’ve picked together what we think are five of the best.
2005: Rossi vs Melandri in first of many last-lap Lusail dust-offs
Just a year after the circuit welcomed MotoGP, it was back to once again showcase the most exciting sport on Earth and it didn’t disappoint. In a season that was being dominated by Valentino Rossi in his second season at Yamaha, Marco Melandri was emerging as a late contender for runner-up. In this desert thriller, the #33 battled hard with The Doctor and made a bold lunge on the last lap to hit the front into Turn 12.
However, he ran wide and although he came through for P2, he was denied a first premier class win again by Rossi, who edged closer to his seventh title by becoming the first rider to win ten Grands Prix in a season.
2013: A star’s debut, another star’s comeback
A new era erupted for Round 1 in 2013 as Marc Marquez made his debut in MotoGP. Straight away competitive but not quite enough to challenge eventual Grand Prix winner and defending Champion Jorge Lorenzo, he found himself battling with Valentino Rossi. The Doctor was in his quest for title #10 by this point and had stepped away from Ducati and back to Yamaha to try and achieve it.
An early mistake at Turn 1 had sent Rossi back down the order but in classic ‘Vale’ style, he picked his way back through before it was him vs Marquez for P2. This time, it was the #46 that came out on top, but it wouldn’t be like that 12 months later.
2014: Marquez vs Rossi… for the win
Under the floodlights, a sizzling rivalry really glistened in the season-opening round as once again, the young pretender and now defending Champion Marquez went up against the veteran of Rossi.
This time, a battle to behold for the win and both swapped paint countless times in the closing stages. With two laps to go, they swapped places four times, with the last effort being a bold attempt by Rossi at Turn 10 but to no avail. Marquez held on to start a winning streak of 10 Grands Prix, something never seen before or since from the start of the season.
2018: Marquez vs Dovi, take one
Another classic to start the season, something that had become a theme in 2017 and would continue until the close of 2019: Marc Marquez vs Andrea Dovizioso.
Dovi led going into the final two laps from a hungry and determined Marquez, now without a win at Lusail since 2014 against Rossi, who was once again there in contention but this time in P3. As had so often been the case, it came down to a last lap scrap for supremacy between Marquez and Dovizioso, with the Italian in command all the way through the last lap, until the #93 dived to the inside at the final corner. Like countless times before, he ran wide and the #04 calmly retook the lead and started a new season as Championship leader. And there was more where that came from.
2019: Marquez vs Dovi, take two
So, following a similar pattern as the 2018 edition, it was again Dovizioso and Ducati who led Honda and Marquez through the final lap, although this time the #93 knew he couldn’t wait until the final corner.
He tried at Turn 10 but couldn’t make it stick and looked at Turn 12, only for Dovizioso to close the door. Down to the final corner, Marquez made a late dive to attack his arch rival but again, ran wide just like 12 months before, leaving the coast clear for Dovizioso to hit the front and hold him off to the line. Breathless all the way, it was another Qatar classic.
And that’s not all; there’s been plenty of iconic moments at Lusail and there’s set to be many more. Can Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) take a first Grand Prix win at the same place Casey Stoner, Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio all managed it? Will Marc be able to bounce back or will it be back-to-back success for Pecco? (MotoGP.com)
