World Champion Marc Marquez started his 2014 MotoGP campaign with a victory in Qatar, beating Valentino Rossi in a close battle. The 21 year-old Marquez produced a brilliant performance to take maximum points despite breaking his leg in preseason and missing the last two MotoGP tests.
Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo crashed out of the race lead at turn 15 on the first lap, meaning his season starts with a DNF after he had struggled with grip issues throughout the weekend.
Stefan Bradl’s race to came to an end after eight laps; the LCR Honda rider was leading ahead of Marquez and Rossi, but the pressure was too much for the German who slid off track.
Marquez and Rossi then went on to have a great fight which went down to the last lap and saw the Spaniard outpace the Italian by 0.25s – with Pedrosa three seconds back to complete the podium.
Aleix Espargaro took fourth on his debut for NGM Forward Racing on their ‘Open’ Yamaha, with Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow in fifth and sixth respectively for Ducati Team.
