MotoGP

Vinales makes big statement with Qatar MotoGP win

By Tristen Digby

Posted on March 28, 2021

Image Credits: Monster Yamaha MotoGP

The 2021 MotoGP season finally began with the Qatar Grand Prix. The wind was very strong, which would change the balance of the bikes, corner by corner. Francesco Bagnaia was pole from Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Viñales.

The lights went out, and Ducati flew away. It was a 1-2-3-4 on lap 1, with Bagnaia leading. Danilo Petrucci crashed at turn 2 but was ok. The start of the race and probably the season went to Jorge Martin who went from 14th to third, and it wasn’t even a jump start. Quartararo managed to pass one of the Ducati’s, while world champion Juan Mir made a move on Rossi. Martin fell down the field as riders like Rins and Viñales made amends on bad starts.

Bagnaia went into tyre conservation almost immediately, to try and keep the rear alive. The sweet handling Yamaha’s made amends through the Ducati wall, with Quartararo making his way past Miller into third. Nakagami couldn’t outrun his bad luck, crashing on lap 5.

Viñales passed Quartararo on lap 11 for third, as the top 6 closed up. Miller pounced on the Frenchman too as the Ducati’s stepped it io a notch. Viñales then passed Zarco for second, and almost took the lead, but had to wait a little before trying again.

Rins passed Miller for fourth, and any of the top eight could win at this stage. Miller passed Rins back and the strengths of the bikes made for a fascinating battle as the race entered its closing stages. . Then, Viñales made the move and took the lead. Mir was making places and the rest of the top 10 were making time on the leader too. Viñales was making a break on the field while the tyres wore down for the Ducati’s.

Mir began to fire through the field, taking third from Bagnaia, meaning there was no factory Ducati on the podium. The race was Viñales though. In a class of his own, he took an emphatic win but the big battle was behind. Mir took second on the penultimate turn but lost both second and third thanks to slipstream to the finish line. Zarco finished second with Bagnaia third, Mir fourth, and Quartararo fifth.

Overtake Motorsport

Vinales makes big statement with Qatar MotoGP win

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