Posted on 24th March 2014
World Champion Marc Marquez started 2014 by winning the Qatar Grand Prix, after a thrilling battle with Valentino Rossi at the Losail Circuit
Laser cut Circuit by Graham & Leigh www.grahamandleigh.co.uk
The twenty-one year-old and the 9 time world champion fought for most of the race and swapped positions regularly throughout the final three laps before the Spaniard took the win.
Marquez had grabbed pole position in qualifying but it was Bradley Smith who got away the fastest, from the front row and was into second place into turn one. However, the Yamaha of Jorge Lorenzo had flown from fifth to lead.
Lorenzo's start was in tatters only a lap later as the double world champion found the gravel and let Germany's Stefan Bradl into the lead from Marquez and Smith. While the fast starting Andrea Iannone fell out of fourth, nearly collecting Rossi in the process.
Valentino Rossi had started to make progress, by lap five he had got passed Smith and was up to fifth. And by lap eight the 'Doctor' was up into third behind Marquez, which quickly became second as leader Bradl fell ahead of the pair.
Already upsetting the odds, Rossi then took the lead and held on for another four laps before the world champion muscled ahead at turn one.
Meanwhile Dani Pedrosa had got the best of his battle with Alvaro Bautista and Smith and was lying third. That was where he would finish as his competitors both fell in the latter stages.
The penultimate lap saw the most dramatic of the duel between the Spanish sensation and the Italian legend. Rossi dived up the inside of the Honda to lead, but Marquez came back at the Yamaha and the two swapped positions twice again throughout the lap, but the Spaniard managed to come out on top to take the victory.
Bradley Smith had been lying fifth before he crashed out late on. His British compatriots, Crutchlow and debutant Scott Redding, finished sixth and seventh respectively. While Michael Laverty came home in sixteenth.
“I enjoyed this race a lot, especially after my injury. I didn't think about the leg. Last year I fought with Valentino and he won that battle and this year I won,†Marquez told broadcasters.
“Second is a great result after finishing tenth. I fight and fight but at the end I was a little too far behind. I hope to continue like this,†Rossi said.
Qatar Race Result
1. Marc Marquez
2. Valentino Rossi
3. Dani Pedrosa
4. Aleix Espargaro
5. Andrea Dovizioso
6. Cal Crutchlow
7. Scott Redding
8. Nicky Hayden
9. Colin Edwards
10. Andrea Iannone
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