Qatar GP: BAD LUCK ON RACE DAY
During Sunday’s Grand Prix of Qatar, Stefan Bradl endured the same mistake like the day before in qualifying practice.
After a crash at halfway point of the race, the Aprilia factory rider had to retire from the season opener at the floodlighted Losail International Circuit. However, till that point Bradl performed well lapping consistently in decent lap times. This conclusion of the first race weekend wasn’t nice at all though he summarized the first opportunity to race the all-new Aprilia RS-GP in race conditions in positive mood. But now the Championship head to Argentina for round two where Bradl and his crew are eager to build on last weekend’s achieved level.
#6 Stefan BRADL (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Aprilia), DNF:
“At the start I felt well. My feeling was getting better lap by lap and consequently. This was also in case for my lap times. But the crash is hard to explain. We need to analyse the data closely in order to figure out what caused it. My feeling says that there was a loss of grip for both tyres at the same time in turn 15. In any case, till that point my race was positive. I managed to get my times in the below 1´57 bracket so that means that my confidence is growing lap by lap. Now it well be important to take maximum advantage of the data collected from last weekend and to have a good race weekend in Argentina.”
Race Classification MotoGP™ Grand Prix of Qatar:
1 #99 Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP / Yamaha / 42´28.452
2 #4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO / ITA / Ducati Team / Ducati / +2.019
3 #93 Marc MARQUEZ / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / Honda / +2.287
DNF #6 Stefan BRADL / GER / Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
MotoGP™ World Standings:
1 #99 Jorge LORENZO / SPA / Movistar Yamaha MotoGP / Yamaha / 25
2 #4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO / ITA / Ducati Team / Ducati / 20
3 #93 Marc MARQUEZ / SPA / Repsol Honda Team / Honda / 16
Next race: April 3rd, Termas de Rio Hondo / Argentina