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The opening race of 2018 MotoGP season at Losail gave us everything we could ask for. We got an epic battle in the last corner (this particular kind of last corner overtaking that should already be named after Dovi), about 8-10 riders fighting for the top positions, unexpected crashes, lost front brakes, quite a lot silly season rumours and some big numbers and anniversaries. Take your seats, seat belts and read the hottest news from QatarGP.
1. Numbers, records, anniversaries
There were plenty of them this week. The most important is ofcourse the new track record - 1:53.680s - set by Johann Zarco during qualifying. On a satellite bike he beat the oldest track record in the calendar (Lorenzo's 1:53.927 from 2008) by almost the quarter of the second.
Secondly, last weekend many riders celebrated their jubiless in world championship. Grand Prix of Qatar was the 200th MotoGP race for Dani Pedrosa, 55th for Maverick Vinales, 130th for Aleix Espargaró and 175th for Jorge Lorenzo. If we include all the 3 classes, it was the 250th Grand Prix start for Thomas Luthi and 200th for Bradley Smith. On Sunday Dovizioso took his 84th Grand Prix podium (MotoGP victory number 9), Marquez - took 65th MotoGP podium, while Rossi - 192nd.
2. A blessing in disguise for Lorenzo
Ducati rider retaired from the race on lap 12. and got 0 points but despite this fact, he still can think of himself as a "lucky". He avoided a serious injury when he lost his front brakes in turn 4. "Unfortunately when I arrive to turn 4 suddenly I just missed completely the brake (...) I was
going very fast to the gravel and I jump off the bike to avoid hitting
the wall" - the Spaniard explained after the race. “I
just felt that the level of the front brake was getting closer to my
fingers and I didn’t have brake. I lost some metres so I tried to use
less front brake and more the rear to try to delay this thing that was
getting worse lap-by-lap".
When his bike came back to the box it turned out that one part is missing, so Ducati mechanics went to the corner 4 to find it. Actually they had no idea if Lorenzo lost it before or as a result of crash but it's certain that Spaniard didn't have front brakes before entering the corner. It is a real blessing in disguise that the accident happened in turn 4 and not for example at the main straight at around 350 km/h. Dread to think how could it end.
3. 'How to regain 3 lost months' by Yamaha
After friday practice sessions it looked like Yamaha riders were completely lost as they struggled to be in top 10 and go straight into Q2. Maverick Vinales, who seemed to suffer much more than Valentino Rossi, said they lost 3 months going in the wrong directions with development during winter tests and that all preaseason work was simply useless. Fortunately for him, there's been a breaktrough on Saturday. After a set-up change made in FP4 he got back so-much-needed-good-feeling on the bike.
“In FP4 we changed quite a lot the bike, similar to what I was riding
last year, and I felt much, much better, already from the first lap" - Vinales said. "I think that if I have the feeling I get
in FP4, I can go over and be in the top" - he added. Knowing that he finished the race in 6th place, the feeling had to be much better, but they still need to continue
working to catch Honda and Ducati. They seem to be 1 steap ahead of Yamaha factory and it wasn't even the best track for their bikes.
4. Obligatory airbags passed the test
From the start of this season riders are required to use leathers fitted with airbags. It's an important step to improve the safety, so even rider like Lorenzo (who did not always use it) was in favour of it. One race weekend was enough to confirm it worked very well. We could see riders with activated airbags after many nasty crashes and only one rider got injured (Albert Arenas from Moto3 broke his collarbone). Others, like Jorge Martin, could tell you they work even too well - aribags in his suit acivated when he was celebrating his victory with a wheelie :D
5. Silly season update - Petrucci to Ducati, Zarco to Honda?
Danilo Petrucci and Johann Zarco are among the hottest names on riders market this silly season. Their impressive ride during opening race only increased their value. Almost every manufacturer is interested in French rider, while Italian aims into joining factory Ducati team and replacing either Lorenzo or Dovizioso.
After KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha, who were already known to be interested in signing Zarco (or in Yamaha case - giving him their third factory bike), now Honda is considered as his potential future employer. Unsurprisingly Johann wouldn't mind joining Repsol Honda alongside their super star and absolute leader Marc Marquez. "To be Marquez's teammate could be a nice thing. It’s kind of a dream team" - said Tech 3 rider.
On the other hand, there is Danilo Petrucci fighting for a contract with Ducati Team for 2019. "It's not a secret that I want to be in that place" - he confirmed. As Ducati priority is to renew deals with both its riders, Petrucci needs to beat on the track at least one of them to convince 'The Big Trinity' Ciabatti - Dall'Igna - Tardozzi. After last sunday he's 11 points up on Lorenzo. Unless the Spaniard agree for reduction of his salary (Danilo would take less than half of it and still be happy) or start beating Petrux regularly, it might be his last season in Ducati Family. The next few races will be very important for both of them. Nothing's been decided yet.
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