Dovizioso wins thrilling Qatar MotoGP

Bengaluru/Doha, March 18: Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso of Italy won FIM MotoGP World Championship's season-opening Qatar Grand Prix after a thrilling duel down to the line with Honda's reigning champion Marc Marquez.

Valentino Rossi, the Italian great starting his 23rd Grand Prix season at the age of 39 and with a new two year Yamaha contract freshly signed, joined them on the podium at the floodlit desert circuit in Losail.

Say CHEESE 📸 pic.twitter.com/d46mX2HDOA

— MotoGP™🇶🇦🏁 (@MotoGP) March 18, 2018

Frenchman Johann Zarco started from pole position

Britain's Cal Crutchlow was fourth for LCR Honda, with Zarco dropping to eighth.

Although Ducati were celebrating Dovizioso getting off to a winning start, Jorge Lorenzo - a three-time MotoGP winner in Qatar - crashed out with 10 laps remaining.

Marquez led the opening lap after Zarco ran wide on the final turn, but the Frenchman regained first place at the next corner by getting in the Repsol Honda rider's slipstream.

In a serene start to the race, Rossi was the only man making major moves, but he lost ground to Marquez and Dovizioso after attempting to go down the inside of Zarco at turn one.

With Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha) closing in on the leading group, Dovizioso made his move with five laps remaining and opened up the throttle to record the fastest circuit.

Marquez looked to slide through on the inside of the final turn but Dovizioso accelerated out of the shallower line to take the chequered flag and strike the first blow.

The MotoGP caravan now moves to Argentina for the second Grand Prix of the 19-race season which will be held on April 8.

TOP 10 RESULTS

1. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati): 42:34.654sec

2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda): +0.027s

3. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha): +0.797s

4. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda): +2.881s

5. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing): +3.821s

6. Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha):+3.888s

7. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda): +4.621s

8. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3): +7.112s

9. Andrea Iannone (Suzuki Ecstar): +12.957s

10. Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing): +14.594s