Ducati Andrea Dovizioso took
victory in a closely fought first MotoGP race of the 2018 season in Qatar; just
0.027s ahead of reigning champion Marc Marquez’s Honda. Dovizioso and Marquez
formed part of a 10-bike queue that headed the field for much of the race, with
poleman Johann Zarco converting pole position into an early lead aboard the
Tech 3 Yamaha.
It wasn't until lap 18 of 22 that
Dovizioso and Marquez finally made their moves, both passing Zarco at Turn 1
and quickly distancing the Frenchman to engage in their own private duel for
victory. In scenes reminiscent of their battles last year in Austria and
Japan, the two 2017 title protagonists ran nose to tail for the final laps,
with Marquez attempting a pass at the final corner on the last lap.
But Dovizioso managed to edge
back ahead exiting the turn, getting superior traction and out dragging
Marquez to the finish line by the tiny margin of 0.027s for his ninth career
MotoGP victory. Seven tenths behind the lead duo was Valentino Rossi, who
passed Zarco on the same lap as Dovizioso and Marquez but couldn't keep up the
pace in the closing laps.
Cal Crutchlow was fourth on the LCR
Honda, a further two seconds behind, ahead of Danilo Petrucci's Pramac Ducati.
Both had been part of the leading group bottled up behind Zarco, but the extra
lap they took to clear the satellite Yamaha allowed the leading three to
escape. Zarco ended up slumping to eighth at the finish, losing out to the
second works Yamaha of Maverick Vinales and the second factory Honda of Dani
Pedrosa in the latter stages.
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