The 2018 World Champion Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) started from pole position, with at her side Bruno Ieraci (Kawasaki GP Project) and Tom Edwards (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team). 2019 World Champion Manuel González (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) started from the second row with Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing) and Jeffrey Buis (MTM Racing Team). Hugo De Cancellis qualified 11th, Andy Verdoïa 12th and Samuel di Sora 24th.
As the drivers took their places on the starting grid, the air temperature was 32° and that of the asphalt 36°. The fastest to take the lead was Tom Edwards ahead of Manuel Gonzáles, Ana Carrasco, Scott Deroue and Bruno Ieraci. Andy Verdoïa was tenth, Hugo de Cancellis thirteenth and Di Sora eighteenth.
A collective fall eliminated (without seriousness) Omar Bonoli, Jose Luis Perez and Yuta Okaya.
#WorldSSP300's first race outside of Europe is GOOO!🚦
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- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) October 26, 2019
Edwards was ahead of Ieraci, Gonzáles, Hendra Pratama and Scott Deroue who took the lead shortly after on the slipstream in the straight. Ana Carrasco moved up to fourth position after visiting the outside of the track:
Away from the dust🙏 @anacarrasco_22
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- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) October 26, 2019
The 2018 Spanish World Champion took the lead, then the 2019 Champion took over the lead. Carrasco passed Gonzáles again, ahead of Deroue, Ieraci, Garcia and Steeman. Verdoïa was tenth just ahead of Cancellis. Di Sora moved up to sixteenth position, almost in the points.
😳Can you count how many riders are fighting for victory? 🏆 Remember there is just ONE place on top!
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- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) October 26, 2019
Carrasco, Gonzáles and Ieraci slightly trailed Deroue and Garcia by 0.8. De Cancellis took tenth place from Verdoïa, 2.8 behind Carrasco.
3 riders in 1 turn👏@anacarrasco_22 recovers the LEAD💪🏻
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- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) October 26, 2019
Deroue took the lead at halfway through the race ahead of Gonzáles, Carrasco, Meuffels and Ieraci. Edwards sixth was 1.2 behind the leader. Verdoïa overtook Cancellis for ninth place, at 2.9. Di Sora moved up to fourteenth, making a good comeback.
Koen Meuffels took command with 4 laps remaining, ahead of Carrasco, Gonzáles, Deroue, Edwards and Ieraci. Carrasco took the lead 3 laps from the checkered flag ahead of Deroue and Gonzáles. In the group, only Deroue and Carrasco knew the circuit having raced there in GP Moto3.
Ieraci took the lead 2 laps from the finish ahead of Meuffels, Deroue, Carrasco and Gonzáles. Marc Garcia fell on the last lap. Victory went to Deroue with a hundredth lead over Meuffels, followed by Ieraci, Gonzáles and Carrasco. Verdoïa finished eighth, de Cancellis ninth and Di Sora twelfth.
And the winner of the first #WorldSSP300 race at Losail is… Scott Deroue🙌
#QATWorldSBK 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/5kTDKkLUYS
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) October 26, 2019
Race results:
Final ranking of the World Championship:
Photos © worldsbk.com / Dorna