Qatar MotoGP: Shoya Tomizawa wins historic first Moto2 race

Shoya Tomizawa created a slice of history for himself in Qatar tonight after the Japanese rider dominated the inaugural Moto2 world championship clash.

Riding a Suter MMX chassis for the Technomag-CIP squad, the 19-year-old produced a stunning display to run away with the first ever 600cc four-stroke clash under the Losail International Circuit floodlights.   

Tomizawa never finished higher than 10th in his first Grand Prix campaign in the 250cc class last year but he never looked in any danger of throwing away victory once he moved to the front of the 41-rider field on lap six.

There had been early drama when Stefan Bradl, who had qualified third on the grid, was taken out by Alex de Angelis after the San Marino rider braked hard to avoid tangling with Toni Elias on the opening lap.

Once the frantic action settled down, Tomizawa was locked in an enthralling battle with Elias, Alex Debon and Yuki Takahashi.

But it wasn’t until lap ten that he really started to make his break for glory when he stretched his lead to 1.461s.

By the end he was unstoppable and ended 4.656s clear of experienced Spaniard Debon, who came out on top of a thrilling dice with Frenchman Jules Cluzel.

Debon’s brilliant second gave instant success to British chassis manufacturer FTR.
Elias claimed a heroic fourth place on the Gresini Moriwaki machine after he faded badly in the second half of the eagerly-anticipated race.

The Spaniard was physically and mentally drained having ridden through the pain barrier with the broken ankle and hand he suffered in testing recently still causing major discomfort.

He secured fourth with a last lap overtake on Italian veteran Roberto Rolfo and the last place in the top six was also decided by a late pass.

Mattia Pasini secured sixth with a last lap pass on Thomas Luthi on the final lap.
There were was major disappointment for the Tech 3 Racing squad after Takahashi and Raffaele de Rosa both tumbled out of podium contention in the early stages.
Italian de Rosa crashed out of sixth on lap three and Takahashi had just claimed second from Elias on lap seven when he slid off unhurt.

It was also a bitterly disappointing Moto2 debut for British teenager Scott Redding, who ended in a dismal 23rd and was beaten by new team-mate Hector Faubel.

Redding had started the weekend in great form having finished opening practice in second place. But the 17-year-old was plagued by chatter and a right elbow issue that severely restricted him on the Marc VDS Racing Suter MMX machine.

1 Shoya TOMIZAWA JPN Technomag-CIP Suter 41’11.768
2 Alex DEBON SPA Aeroport de Castello – Ajo FTR +4.656
3 Jules CLUZEL FRA Forward Racing Suter +4.789
4 Toni ELIAS SPA Gresini Racing Moto2 Moriwaki +6.978
5 Roberto ROLFO ITA Italtrans S.T.R. Suter +7.178
6 Mattia PASINI ITA JIR Moto2 Motobi +11.804
7 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 Moriwaki +11.861
8 Simone CORSI ITA JIR Moto2 Motobi +12.346
9 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Fimmco Speed Up Speed Up +13.821
10 Sergio GADEA SPA Tenerife 40 Pons Pons Kalex +20.189
11 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Technomag-CIP Suter +21.289
12 Alex BALDOLINI ITA Caretta Technology Race Dept I.C.P. +21.360
13 Fonsi NIETO SPA Holiday Gym G22 Moriwaki +21.835
14 Karel ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing RSV +21.973
15 Lukas PESEK CZE Matteoni CP Racing Moriwaki +26.265
16 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA Mapfre Aspar Team RSV +26.265
17 Ratthapark WILAIROT THA Thai Honda PTT Singha SAG Bimota +26.599
18 Kenny NOYES USA Jack & Jones by A.Banderas Promoharris +33.833
19 Andrea IANNONE ITA Fimmco Speed Up Speed Up +33.895
20 Claudio CORTI ITA Forward Racing Suter +40.992
21 Arne TODE GER Racing Team Germany Suter +43.119
22 Hector FAUBEL SPA Marc VDS Racing Team Suter +43.249
23 Scott REDDING GBR Marc VDS Racing Team Suter +45.397
24 Valentin DEBISE FRA WTR San Marino Team ADV +46.472
25 Anthony DELHALLE FRA Qatar Endurance Racing Team BQR-Moto2 +51.157
26 Vladimir IVANOV UKR Gresini Racing Moto2 Moriwaki +54.252
27 Niccolo CANEPA ITA RSM Team Scot Force GP210 +54.631
28 Robertino PIETRI VEN Italtrans S.T.R. Suter +1’15.976
29 Bernat MARTINEZ SPA Maquinza-SAG Team Bimota +1’16.222
30 Yannick GUERRA SPA Holiday Gym G22 Moriwaki +1’20.651
31 Mashel AL NAIMI QAT Blusens-STX BQR-Moto2 +1’20.719
32 Joan OLIVE SPA Jack & Jones by A.Banderas Promoharris