Qatar MotoGP: Maverick Vinales wins Moto3 opener

FTR Honda took the top two steps of the podium after Avintia Racing rider Maverick Vinales won the first ever Moto3 race at the Losail circuit, Qatar.

Grand Prix newcomer Romano Fenati was the surprise early leader, getting a good start from sixth on the grid. The Italian though was unable to hold off Vinales, who eventually won the race by 4.301secs.

Pole position man Sandro Cortese put the Red Bull KTM on the final step of the podium, after a race long battle covering the riders from third to ninth position.

After a nervous start from 12th on the grid, Danny Kent had to work his way through the field from 14th at the end of the first lap. The Brit finished eighth, after catching and being involved with the latter stages of the battle for the final podium spot.

Fellow Brit Danny Webb finished 18th onboard the Mahindra.

1 25 25 Maverick VIÑALES SPA Blusens Avintia FTR Honda 150.2 38’40.995
2 20 5 Romano FENATI ITA Team Italia FMI FTR Honda 149.9 +4.301
3 16 11 Sandro CORTESE GER Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 149.0 +18.013
4 13 39 Luis SALOM SPA RW Racing GP Kalex KTM 149.0 +18.200
5 11 44 Miguel OLIVEIRA POR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Suter Honda 149.0 +18.745
6 10 63 Zulfahmi KHAIRUDDIN MAL AirAsia-Sic-Ajo KTM 149.0 +19.052
7 9 61 Arthur SISSIS AUS Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 149.0 +19.466
8 8 52 Danny KENT GBR Red Bull KTM Ajo KTM 148.9 +21.098
9 7 96 Louis ROSSI FRA Racing Team Germany FTR Honda 148.8 +21.153
10 6 42 Alex RINS SPA Estrella Galicia 0,0 Suter Honda 148.4 +28.733
11 5 89 Alan TECHER FRA Technomag-CIP-TSR TSR Honda 148.3 +29.775
12 4 55 Hector FAUBEL SPA Bankia Aspar Team Kalex KTM 148.3 +29.813
13 3 31 Niklas AJO FIN TT Motion Events Racing KTM 147.9 +35.940
14 2 23 Alberto MONCAYO SPA Bankia Aspar Team Kalex KTM 147.9 +35.983
15 1 84 Jakub KORNFEIL CZE Redox-Ongetta-Centro Seta FTR Honda 147.7 +38.641
16  7 Efren VAZQUEZ SPA JHK T-Shirt Laglisse Honda 147.6 +40.219
17  27 Niccolo ANTONELLI ITA San Carlo Gresini Moto3 Honda 147.0 +50.629
18  99 Danny WEBB GBR Mahindra Racing Mahindra 146.7 +54.751
19  21 Ivan MORENO SPA Andalucia JHK Laglisse FTR Honda 146.7 +54.989
20  26 Adrian MARTIN SPA JHK T-Shirt Laglisse Honda 146.1 +1’05.183
21  51 Kenta FUJII JPN Technomag-CIP-TSR TSR Honda 145.1 +1’21.239
22  15 Simone GROTZKYJ ITA Ambrogio Next Racing Oral 144.3 +1’35.791
23  9 Toni FINSTERBUSCH GER Cresto Guide MZ Racing MZ-RE Honda 143.9 +1’41.291
24  53 Jasper IWEMA NED Moto FGR FGR Honda 143.2 +1’54.293
25  8 Jack MILLER AUS Caretta Technology Honda 139.9 1 Lap