FIRST-CLASS FINISH FOR CRUTCHLOW: THIRD AT QATAR SEASON-OPENER

Nobody was expecting a third place finish for Crutchlow at the first MotoGP race of the season in Qatar, not least after his serious crash in Australia at the end of last season. Yet the Team LCR Honda rider, who is sponsored by flow-meter™, surprised once again. The British rider brushed off all scepticism about his state of health with a stunning race, powered by the grit and determination that are so typical of his approach to riding. At the end of the race, a satisfied Crutchlow said, “It's great to finish third. I have to thank a lot of people. I have to thank my surgeon, the physiotherapist I had working on me as well and my whole team. We never gave up, we wanted to come back here and fight for the championship and we did so.”
The race was won by a sensational Andrea Dovizioso after an intense battle – with much overtaking and counter-overtaking – against Honda’s Marc Marquez. Valentino Rossi finished fifth for Yamaha after a great comeback from 14th place. “The Doctor” came in hot on the heels of Suzuki’s Rins. It was a slightly disappointing result for Maverick Viñales, who started in pole position but ended up seventh behind the other Ducati rider, Danilo Petrucci. Joan Mir (Suzuki), Nakagami (LCR Honda) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) made up the rest of the top ten. Dovizioso finds himself top of the rankings with 25 points, followed by Marquez with 20 and Crutchlow with 16.