This championship got off to a flying start in Qatar with great sensations and big surprises. Both good and bad because at Ducati we no longer really know which way to turn. The armada of eight machines so much criticized by the adversaries turned out to be the mirage of the Losail desert but the Borgo Panigale firm nevertheless left the site as leader. But at the end of a scenario that she certainly hadn't anticipated...
The result is not entirely a surprise however for Ducati who knows what wood is made of Enea Bastianini. But the Italian achieved a successful GP21 while those who hold the keys to the 2022 offensive were not at all convinced. Jack Miller was betrayed by his electronics and Pecco Bagnaia was never actually there. What could only have been a mistake turned into a real disaster when, for a place outside the top 5, the 2021 world vice-champion designated favorite for 2022 fell, leading to his misfortune Jorge Martin, started from pole position…
Without the masterful performance of the pilot Gresini, the fate of Ducati would have been completely different... Incidentally, this first production of “Bestia” was a real emotional bomb which brought all the actors in the paddock to tears. We could not pay a more beautiful tribute to the late Fausto, and a more beautiful image of a great lady patron of her troops with her sons celebrating this victory with humility.
The rest of the rankings are in unison, promising a season where surprises lie at every turn. Let's start with the second of this competition which is a solid Brad Binder who seems to have understood everything about how his KTM RC16 works. His performance was so masterful that it was embarrassing for his teammate Miguel Oliveira with whom he now shares the same number of MotoGP successes, three.
The podium is completed by a Honda Repsol, but again, it's not the one we expected under the checkered flag. Marc Marquez no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do better than fifth, leaving his teammate Pol Espargaro sand the Prosecco. The latter started his work well to be confirmed in 2023, after having still led a large part of the race, before his soft tires weakened and gave up in front of the rear medium of bastianini and the two mediums of Brad Binder.
It was the big odds that dominated in Qatar
The continuation in Qatar is nice since we find the Aprilia ofAleix Espargaró who had fun making a manly interior for Marc Marquez which therefore just saves a top 5. Beyond this line, we enter the camp of the disappointed. Joan mir leads this contingent ahead of his teammate alex rins thus leaving Suzuki wanting more. The eighth man is Johann zarco who may have regrets. Poorly qualified and after a failed start he made such a strong comeback that he pushed his compatriot to ninth place fabio quartararo by giving him a draft on the straight on the last lap...
Exactly fabio quartararo…It happened with the Yamaha which was planned without anyone daring to say it openly: the M1 is clearly outdated, and a great talent can no longer hope for anything on it. Something to think about for 2023, but the thinking will not be simple: the five other manufacturers are in the game, except the one where the World Champion is in his quarters.
We will end with the ranking of rookies which amounts to Remy gardner right in front of a Darryn Binder who was not far from scoring his first point. The question arises, however, for Raul Fernandez, definitely last. Has he recovered from his heavy fall in the Mandalika tests? A track which will be the next stage of the calendar for the Indonesian Grand Prix. Looking forward to the sequel!
MotoGP Qatar Championship: ranking
Credit classification motogp.com
