Moto3 Losail Qatar Race: Albert Arenas gives KTM the 100th victory

It's the first race of the year, and, given the general atmosphere weighed down by the coronavirus, we must salute the event. Moto3 is officially launching a 2020 season in Qatar, the course of which no one can predict. But Carmelo Ezpeleta has sworn that it will take place, and it's starting before our eyes!

After having gone through Q1, Tatsuki suzuki qualified on pole position for the second time after San Marino last year, when he went on to win his only Moto3 race so far. He is the first Japanese driver to qualify from pole position in the first race of the year since Youichi Ui in 2003 in Japan.

The pole position of Suzuki at Losail is the fifth for a pilot Honda on the track since the introduction of the Moto3 site in 2012, one more than KTM. Furthermore, the last rider to win at Losail on Moto3 after qualifying in pole position is a certain Alexis Masbou in 2015 on a Honda.

Will the SIC58 team driver continue his good momentum? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far…

 

Moto3 Losail Qatar™	2019	2020
FP1	2'05.917 Romano Fenati	2'05.407 Sergio Garcia
FP2	2'04.561 Arón Canet	2'04.577 Raul Fernández
FP3	2'06.561 Vicente Pérez	2'05.465 Raul Fernández
Q1	2'06.689 Celestino Vietti	2'05.254 Gabriel Rodrigo
Q2	2'05.883 Arón Canet	2'04.815 Tatsuki Suzuki
warm up	2'06.097 Arón Canet	2'05.701 Raul Fernández
Course	Toba, Dalla Porta, Canet	2'06. 212 Albert Arenas
All time lap record	2'04.561 Arón Canet 2019

 

The pilot KTM the best placed during the qualifications is Raul Fernandez in second position, equaling his best qualification which was Austin Last year. This is the third start on the front line of Fernandez in his Grand Prix career.

After his best time achieved during the warm up, Fernandez will aim to win his first Grand Prix race and become the first KTM rider to do so at Losail since Jack Miller in 2014. If a KTM wins the Moto3 race, it will be their 100e Grand Prix victory.

Albert Arenas qualified in third position, which constitutes his fourth start on the front row and in the same position. In his last three meetings started from the front row, he has been on the podium twice: a third place in Australia and a victory in Thailand, both last year.

Darryn binder qualified in fourth position, which is his best result since second in Australia in 2018. Binder has scored points only once in his five Moto3 visits to Losail: 13th in 2017. He has fallen out of contention in the last two years.

Ai Ogura qualified in fifth position, which is his best qualifying result since he was second in Aragon last year, when he finished second, his only podium so far. Last year he finished 11th in losail.

Jaume Masia, who crashed last year, qualified in sixth place in what will be his first race with Honda. The best result of Masia in Qatar is the 12th place in a year 2018 which was his first visit to the track.

Niccolo Antonelli having missed the Qatar Grand Prix due to injury, and replaced by Jose García, Kaito Toba, who qualified in 12th position, is now the only driver on the starting grid to have already won a Qatar Grand Prix. It was just last year, starting from third on the grid, becoming the first Japanese rider to win in Moto3.

It's 25 degrees in the air and 33 degrees on the track. The sun is veiled in the Losail sky. The drivers will start for 18 laps. The majority of pilots have chosen to equip their machines with soft tires.

 

 

It's gone and it's Suzuki who escapes in front Fernandez et Arenas. Öncü, Arbolino bring up the rear of the top5. Ogura goes on the offensive and seizes 5th place at the expense ofArbolino.

 

 

At the end of the 1st round, the game of aspirations begins and it is Fernandez who takes the lead at the end of the straight ahead Arbolino, Arenas, Öncü and Suzuki.

 

 

After 2 rounds, Arenas seizes leadership after an open battle with Arbolino who led after overtaking Fernandez. Binder is 4th, Fernandez is 5th. Big attack from the South African who goes beyond Fernandez , he is now 2th. Binder goes hunting behind Arenas which he obviously does not want to let escape.

 

 

Fernandez doesn't give up and recovers 2nd place by taking the best of Binder. Masiá, Garcia, Arbolino, Suzuki, Rodrigo, McPhee and Salac make up the top10. There are 13 laps left to go.

It moves ahead, leaving all the same Arenas hold the reins of the race. Garcia, Fernández, Masiá and Binder are fighting for 2nd position. All these little people return the courtesy but it's Fernandez which for the moment remains 2nd in front Garcia, Masia et Suzuki who returned to the game.

10 laps from the goal, Fernandez takes command of the peloton but not for long, Suzuki managing to overtake the KTM rider. Masia pass Arbolino on the slipstream at the end of the straight line and in turn takes the lead in operations. Binder is 2th in front Arbolino, 3rd. Garcia et Arenas bring up the rear of the top5.

 

 

There are 8 laps left to complete and Arenas returned to business, regaining leadership. Arbolino becomes threatening behind, followed by Binder et García. Suzuki, Masiá, McPhee, Rodrigo, Foggia, and Salac make up the top10.

kick of Drive in turn 10: contact with Bedroom.

 

 

5 more turns and Arenas always leads the way Arbolino, Suzuki, Binder, et McPhee.

 

 

At the end of the straight line, coming out of the turn, Suzuki takes the best of Arenas which is relegated to 6th position. McPhee is 2th, Binder 3th, Arbolino 4th and Rodrigo is 5th. Fall of García.

McPhee takes the lead of the race 3 laps from the goal ahead Binder and Rodrigo. He is taken by Rodrigo, the Scotsman having missed the rope, who is also passed in the process by Binder. Arenas returned to 4th position.

 

 

Last lap and Binder fall in turn 1. He caused his fall Arbolino. This does the business ofArenas who takes the lead of the race in front McPhee et Masia. Ogura et Rodrigo make up the top5.

 

 

VictoryArenas before McPhee, Masia. Ogura, Rodrigo, Alcoba, Suzuki, Salac, Fernández and Foggia make up the top10.

 

 

 

Masia is sanctioned, he loses a place for going beyond the limits of the track in turn 6 on the last lap. Ogura therefore climbs onto the 3rd step of the podium. Also lose a position for the same reasons; Alcoba, Rodrigo, Fernandez et Arbolino.

 

Ranking Qatar Moto3 Grand Prix at Losail: 

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com