Moto2
Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing) opened his season in style by taking the second Moto2 win of his career at Losail International Circuit, Qatar, having started from pole position for the first time in his GP tenure.
The German Moto2 rider led from the start of the race and eventually won by a large margin of 4.330s.
Andrea Iannone (Speed Master) grabbed second spot on the rostrum and gained the 14th podium of his career. After starting from 16th on the grid, the Italian clawed his way up to ninth at the end of lap one and was up to second place by lap nine.
Thomas Lüthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2) finished third after equalling his best ever qualifying start from third position. Yuki Takahashi (Gresini Racing) was overtaken by Alex de Angelis (JiR Moto2) on the last lap and dropped to fifth place.
After a poor start from the front row, 2010 125 World Champion Marc Márquez (Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol) found life more difficult in his Moto2 debut and crashed out in the first part of the 20-lap race. Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project) was sixth, beating Frenchman Jules Cluzel (Forward Racing) on the line in a close finish.
Michele Pirro (Gresini Racing Moto2) was eighth, just behind the duo. Bradley Smith (Tech 3) was the best debutant recording a ninth placed finish, beating Julián Simón (Mapfre Aspar) inside the top 10.
2011 Moto2: Qatar Results
| Pos. | Points | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 25 | 65 | Stefan BRADL | GER | Viessmann Kiefer Racing | Kalex | 158.8 | 40'38.549 |
| 2. | 20 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Speed Master | Suter | 158.6 | +4.330 |
| 3. | 16 | 12 | Thomas LUTHI | SWI | Interwetten Paddock Moto2 | Suter | 158.5 | +5.137 |
| 4. | 13 | 15 | Alex DE ANGELIS | RSM | JIR Moto2 | Motobi | 158.5 | +5.925 |
| 5. | 11 | 72 | Yuki TAKAHASHI | JPN | Gresini Racing Moto2 | Moriwaki | 158.4 | +6.621 |
| 6. | 10 | 3 | Simone CORSI | ITA | Ioda Racing Project | FTR | 157.9 | +14.217 |
| 7. | 9 | 16 | Jules CLUZEL | FRA | Forward Racing | Suter | 157.9 | +14.257 |
| 8. | 8 | 51 | Michele PIRRO | ITA | Gresini Racing Moto2 | Moriwaki | 157.9 | +14.501 |
| 9. | 7 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 157.6 | +18.910 |
| 10. | 6 | 60 | Julian SIMON | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 | Suter | 157.6 | +19.174 |
| 11. | 5 | 40 | Aleix ESPARGARO | SPA | Pons HP 40 | Pons Kalex | 157.6 | +19.442 |
| 12. | 4 | 68 | Yonny HERNANDEZ | COL | Blusens-STX | FTR | 157.5 | +20.830 |
| 13. | 3 | 77 | Dominique AEGERTER | SWI | Technomag-CIP | Suter | 157.5 | +20.837 |
| 14. | 2 | 34 | Esteve RABAT | SPA | Blusens-STX | FTR | 157.5 | +20.855 |
| 15. | 1 | 76 | Max NEUKIRCHNER | GER | MZ Racing Team | MZ-RE Honda | 157.1 | +26.803 |
| 16. | 80 | Axel PONS | SPA | Pons HP 40 | Pons Kalex | 157.1 | +27.295 | |
| 17. | 88 | Ricard CARDUS | SPA | QMMF Racing Team | Moriwaki | 157.0 | +28.080 | |
| 18. | 54 | Kenan SOFUOGLU | TUR | Technomag-CIP | Suter | 157.0 | +28.212 | |
| 19. | 63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 156.6 | +34.939 | |
| 20. | 36 | Mika KALLIO | FIN | Marc VDS Racing Team | Suter | 156.6 | +34.962 | |
| 21. | 71 | Claudio CORTI | ITA | Italtrans Racing Team | Suter | 156.4 | +37.982 | |
| 22. | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | HP Tuenti Speed Up | FTR | 156.1 | +43.491 | |
| 23. | 53 | Valentin DEBISE | FRA | Speed Up | FTR | 156.1 | +43.659 | |
| 24. | 9 | Kenny NOYES | USA | Avintia-STX | FTR | 155.8 | +47.476 | |
| 25. | 19 | Xavier SIMEON | BEL | Tech 3 B | Tech 3 | 155.8 | +47.755 | |
| 26. | 21 | Javier FORES | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 | Suter | 155.6 | +50.355 | |
| 27. | 4 | Randy KRUMMENACHER | SWI | GP Team Switzerland Kiefer Racing | Kalex | 155.6 | +50.544 | |
| 28. | 25 | Alex BALDOLINI | ITA | Forward Racing | Suter | 154.7 | +1'04.879 | |
| 29. | 39 | Robertino PIETRI | VEN | Italtrans Racing Team | Suter | 154.4 | +1'09.672 | |
| 30. | 35 | Raffaele DE ROSA | ITA | Desguaces La Torre G22 | Moriwaki | 154.4 | +1'09.781 | |
| 31. | 45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | Marc VDS Racing Team | Suter | 153.6 | +1'23.743 | |
| 32. | 96 | Nasser Hasan AL MALKI | QAT | QMMF Racing Team | Moriwaki | 152.6 | +1'39.105 | |
| Not Classified | ||||||||
| 14 | Ratthapark WILAIROT | THA | Thai Honda Singha SAG | FTR | 155.6 | 10 Laps | ||
| 49 | Kev COGHLAN | GBR | Aeroport de Castello | FTR | 154.2 | 14 Laps | ||
| 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol | Suter | 156.7 | 16 Laps | ||
| 64 | Santiago HERNANDEZ | COL | SAG Team | FTR | 151.6 | 16 Laps | ||
| 13 | Anthony WEST | AUS | MZ Racing Team | MZ-RE Honda | 151.6 | 16 Laps | ||
| 75 | Mattia PASINI | ITA | Ioda Racing Project | FTR | 152.0 | 17 Laps | ||
| Not Starting | ||||||||
| 95 | Mashel AL NAIMI | QAT | QMMF Racing Team | Moriwaki | 0 Lap | |||
