Qatar MotoGP: Rabat battles to Moto2 win

Marc VDS Racing rider Esteve Rabat overcame a poor start from pole position to take victory in his first race with the VDS team.

In a repeat of last year Takaaki Nakagami took to the front of the pack to lead for most of the race, with Mika Kallio pressuring him. Rabat picked his way through the order to pass his team-mate and then Nakagami to take the win by just four hundredths of a second.

Britain’s Sam Lowes had an impressive debut crossing the line in seventh place, 10 seconds ahead of Sandro Cortese.

Moto3 champion Maverick Vinales was also impressive in his Moto2 debut, finishing fifth behind class veteran Thomas Luthi and setting a new lap record.

Gino Rea made a good start but was forced to retire due to an oil leak.

1 25 53 Esteve RABAT SPA Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 160.0 40’20.963
2 20 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex 159.9 +0.040
3 16 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex 159.9 +1.059
4 13 12 Thomas LUTHI SWI Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Suter 159.7 +3.741
5 11 40 Maverick VIÑALES SPA Pons HP 40 Kalex 159.7 +4.043
6 10 3 Simone CORSI ITA NGM Forward Racing Forward KLX 159.6 +5.830
7 9 22 Sam LOWES GBR Speed Up Speed Up 159.0 +14.170
8 8 11 Sandro CORTESE GER Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex 158.3 +24.943
9 7 81 Jordi TORRES SPA Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 Suter 158.3 +25.196
10 6 95 Anthony WEST AUS QMMF Racing Team Speed Up 158.3 +25.322
11 5 96 Louis ROSSI FRA SAG Team Kalex 158.2 +26.687
12 4 94 Jonas FOLGER GER AGR Team Kalex 158.2 +26.873
13 3 88 Ricard CARDUS SPA Tech 3 Tech 3 158.2 +26.914
14 2 4 Randy KRUMMENACHER SWI IodaRacing Project Suter 157.9 +31.671
15 1 39 Luis SALOM SPA Pons HP 40 Kalex 157.3 +40.588
16  55 Hafizh SYAHRIN MAL Petronas Raceline Malaysia Kalex 157.3 +40.695
17  60 Julian SIMON SPA Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 157.2 +41.810
18  54 Mattia PASINI ITA NGM Forward Racing Forward KLX 157.1 +44.030
19  25 Azlan SHAH MAL IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex 156.5 +52.813
20  97 Roman RAMOS SPA QMMF Racing Team Speed Up 156.5 +53.563
21  10 Thitipong WAROKORN THA APH PTT The Pizza SAG Kalex 155.4 +1’10.995
22  45 Tetsuta NAGASHIMA JPN Teluru Team JiR Webike TSR 155.4 +1’11.391
23  70 Robin MULHAUSER SWI Technomag carXpert Suter 155.3 +1’11.811
24  5 Johann ZARCO FRA AirAsia Caterham Caterham Suter 152.9 +1’52.348
25  19 Xavier SIMEON BEL Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Suter 152.9 +1’52.446
26  21 Franco MORBIDELLI ITA Italtrans Racing Team Kalex 149.1 1 Lap