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[René]

Who will win the season opener? Place your bets gentlemen!

[charleselan]

That was an absolutely stunning qualifying session and in very difficult conditions with high winds and sand everywhere. Johann Zarco produced a sensational pole position for Hervé's Tech3 team and certainly shut the BT Sport commentary team up, notably Heuwen who had been banging on all weekend about how disappointing the Frenchman had been.

Both Johann and Hervé produced some of the best post qualifying interviews I have heard in years, wonderful guys and just plain human. No one has a bad word for M. Zarco for he is a modest with the old fashioned traits of being a complete gentleman.

It was also something to see Marquez having to get a good time by following others, for one minute I thought it was Hector aboard the Honda .

A great performance by Danny Kent in Moto2 which came right out of the blue; well done lad.

[Deleted]

Zarco puts behind everybody, in particular the official Yamahas.

It seems he's got a 2016 chassis, 2017 engine and 2018 aero configuration. A Frankenstein that works just fine...

[chrisb]

in between the brilliant rugger - Forza Scotland!!! and the qualifying I missed the interview which I will try and catch up but watched the no spoiler add-on but what a ride! at this rate he must be the 2nd most sought after rider for next year! what bets on a Honda alongside Marquez? but fantastic, I said to Max last year that I felt Zarco and Maverick were 'uncomplicated' - Johannes still is - sadly and as you quite rightly said JC Yamaha is complicated by another which has played the trick  

I thought Danny brilliant - bit surprised by Sam but Moto2 is looking very very exciting and then there is the chaos called Moto3, wow have Dorna got this right! roll on this afternoon - I had Mav down as the winner, may have misjudged that 

[charleselan]

Mar 18, 2018 8:18:30 GMT chrisb said:

in between the brilliant rugger - Forza Scotland!!! and the qualifying I missed the interview which I will try and catch up but watched the no spoiler add-on but what a ride! at this rate he must be the 2nd most sought after rider for next year! what bets on a Honda alongside Marquez? but fantastic, I said to Max last year that I felt Zarco and Maverick were 'uncomplicated' - Johannes still is - sadly and as you quite rightly said JC Yamaha is complicated by another which has played the trick  

I thought Danny brilliant - bit surprised by Sam but Moto2 is looking very very exciting and then there is the chaos called Moto3, wow have Dorna got this right! roll on this afternoon - I had Mav down as the winner, may have misjudged that 

Chris,

The interviews were really special but they were those conducted by the BT Sport team, so may be different to the ones you will see from your subscription service. Hervé's was truly wonderful as he was obviously on a high from what Johann had achieved, but there can be little doubt that he is massively impressed by his riders capabilities.

The best bit however was his quote when referring to his team which with the amazing Guy Coulon is somewhat senior in years, " the best soup is always made from an old pot", just brilliant!

I believe there is talk already that Honda have signed Johann for 2019, which if true will make Yamaha one of the biggest laughing stock in history.

[Deleted]

DOVI!

[chrisb]

what a magnificent race - spectacle, event and start to the year, well done to all, but especially the wonderful Dovi, no disrespect to any previous champion [or future] but Dovi seems such a genuine down to earth good guy wouldn't it be great if he were WC this year? what a journey that has been, and how popular that would be

but the race! yeehaa

[chrisb]

JC,
if as people are alluding to the Honda have stolen Yamaha's future asset then that is not good for Lin et al, in fact that is just embarrassing and won't go down at all well,

the race was magnificent and so enthralling - with a great number of great rides and so many 'what-if's' but what a start to the year, brilliant 

Dovi 10/10 - Marquez 9/10 - Rossi was excellent and 8/10, Cal was good and seemed to use his brain for a change, and Zarco, Petruci and Dani excellent, but the ride of the day 2nd only to Dovi was Maverick, a real 'what if' but mightily impressive and enthralling

shame about Scott- not really sure what happened as Dorna didn't let us know

Moto2, well, what a race, disappointing day for Sam and Danny and Moto3 excellent race but again wee McPhee disappointing end to what looked like a clever race

[robmarsh]

I really enjoyed the two races I saw. The Moto GP was fantastic and glad Dovi won. I think VR is absolutely amazing for his age. I noticed some interesting wavy bodywork on the Ducati. So looking forward to the next race.

[René]

I watched the Moto GP race and really enjoyed it. Glad Dovi won but a bit disappointed (and surprised) Zarco fell back so far. Marquez is a magician on the bike and Rossi is a phenomenon, he will continue till he's 50!

If I may add one critical note; the track with its empty grandstands and no real scenery looks soulless to me.

[charleselan]

Yes guys an absolutely fantastic race on a terrible venue, yet another track in the middle of a dusty desert with no visible spectators anywhere about the place.

Andrea was superb and rode with intelligence and speed, he would indeed be a wonderful WC, fingers crossed therefore.

Johann Zarco was fantastic leading for so long; he apparently had a front tyre issue which was confirmed by Tech3 and Michelin, no real details released but it appears that its shape was deformed in profile. Johann felt the problem as early as lap 8 but wanted to lead for as long as possible as he wanted to "get as much experience at being in front as possible".

Other than Crutchlow's excellent ride the British boys had a poor day unfortunately.

[Deleted]

Mat Oxley posted this. 350 km/h, quicker than an F1 on the straights, on two wheels, then have to negotiate much slower curves. They race totally without protection, for the record.