Share
avant-match
Race
Follow the Grand Prix Qatar live. This MotoGP race starts at 21:00 on 8 April 2012. Find race results, calendar, standings, scores and all of this season’s MotoGP races.
Motorcycling fans can read breaking Motorcycling news, interviews and expert commentary. Don’t miss the upcoming Motorcycling events. Make us your go-to source for sports online from Motorcycling to football and more.
Highlights
Remove
Thanks for joining us - and congratulations to Yamaha's Lorenzo for a brilliantly-run race. We'll be back at the end of the month for the
Dani Pedrosa crosses the line in second place, Casey Stoner secures what will be a hugely disappointing third on a circuit where he has been top dog for the last five years. Behind them Britain's Cal Crutchlow takes fourth place to complete an excellent opening weekend.
JORGE LORENZO WINS THE QATAR GRAND PRIX! The Spaniard cruises over the line to mark a superb opening weekend of the season, first taking pole and now winning the race. He is so much easier on his tyres than Casey Stoner, and that cost the world champion dear tonight.
Hector Barbera goes off! He's defending his seventh place from Bautista but loses it and runs wide - luckily there's plenty of room and he rejoins safely in ninth.
The final gap begins with Pedrosa getting past Stoner- nothing the Aussie could do in the end.
Bradl is haemorrhaging places - he must have tyre trouble too - while Lorenzo is over a second clear.
Lorenzo has pulled out a huge gap at the front now as Pedrosa is held up by the much slower Stoner. This will be huge for Pedrosa if he can upstage his world champion team-mate in the last two laps...
LORENZO TAKES THE LEAD! He is simply cornering so much faster now, Stoner is in all sorts of trouble with his tyres and we have a new leader as the pole sitter returns to the front.
Lorenzo takes Pedrosa as Pedrosa tries to take his team-mate! Fabulous move and he's back up to second....
The gap is under half a second - AND PEDROSA TAKES LORENZO! The team-mates first and second now, but Lorenzo is right in there.
Stoner's tyres are falling off a cliff! Lorenzo has cut the gap to under a second - but Pedrosa almost takes Lorenzo on the last corner! It's all set for an amazing finish!
Crutchlow goes past his team-mate! He comes inside on the fourth turn, a lovely move to go fourth!
Lorenzo takes that half second back, just 1.553 seconds between the leading duo now - that, and the wobbles that Stoner has suffered, suggest that he is indeed struggling with tyre wear.
Stoner picks up the pace to try and re-open the gap - he manages it, but almost loses it towards the end of the lap as his back tyre starts to go. Great work to save it... Meanwhile back in the pack, Rossi catches and passes Spies.
With eight laps left of the 22 Stoner's lead is suddenly going in the wrong direction: Lorenzo has taken half a second out of the lead, prompting questions about tyre wear.
Bautista is gradaully getting in behind Hayden trying to take seventh spot, but he's not yet close enough to make a move. Still the only proper battle on the track is the team-mates' duel between Dovizioso and Crutchlow.
Just as we say that Stoner overdoes it into a corner and survives a wiggling back end as he runs wide on the exit of turn five... Just testing, folks, he seems to be saying!
Stoner's gap is steady at 2.0 seconds now - he's pootling round as if it's a Sunday ride through the Pennines, plenty in reserve should Lorenzo manage to turn up the heat.
Crutchlow has yet another go at Dovizioso going into turn one, and once again almost loses it - he kicks his foot out to the side to regain balance, but stays on.
Ben Spies is really struggling today down in 10th, perhaps feeling the effects of his crashes in practice and qualifying. Rossi is catching him at the moment after gaining then losing that 10th spot early on.
Crutchlow loses his front wheel slightly trying to get a run on his team-mate into the main straight but hangs on - no harm done, the chasing pack is 2.5 seconds behind, led by Stefan Bradl.
Stoner's breathing space is almost up to a second now, but there is a battle going on for fourth place as Crutchlow is all over the back of team-mate Dovizioso. The team bosses are having kittens as Crutchlow is all over the back of the Italian going into the first corner, but thankfully the two don't touch.
With 16 laps to go the top three are still well clear of the field, but stretching out apart from each other. Stoner is building up a nice lead, Lorenzo is still keeping Pedrosa at bay.
Stoner gets into a great position into the final corner and the two riders are side to side down the start-finish straight... and it's Stoner who has more speed! He's in the lead!
Stoner has gone past Pedrosa - and he's almost instantly up on Lorenzo... and he nearly goes through! The Spaniard has to work hard to close the door as Stoner tries to go up the inside on turn four.
Lorenzo looking comfortable, back in the chasing pack Cal Crutchlow almost took Dovizioso for fourth place. Rossi is up to 10th.
Pedrosa was absolutely stunning there, his position through the first corner saw him go past Qatar-specialist Stoner, but Lorenzo is out ahead.
Blistering start by Dani Pedrosa who is right up with Lorenzo and Stoner after the start.
Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the opening race of the season from Qatar - the riders are on the grid and we're about to get going!