Reigning MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo put on a riding display to dominate the opening round at Qatar this evening but it was his returning team-mate Valentino Rossi and class rookie Marc Marquez that provided much-needed fireworks.
Lorenzo led from the first corner and never looked back, opening a five-second lead in almost as many laps which title rival Dani Pedrosa could do nothing about and he had enough to worry about with team-mate Marquez, Monster Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow and Rossi all giving him trouble.
However, after The Doctor had gone under Crutchlow, then had a minor scrap with Andrea Dovizioso for third which resulted in the Yamaha man running off track into turn one and re-joining in seventh place and eight seconds down.
Rossi then put in one of his trademark comeback rides, slicing through the pack and lapping faster than everyone else on the circuit, including Lorenzo, to get back up to Crutchlow with five laps to go.
The pass saw Rossi then on the back of the Repsol Hondas as Crutchlow ran straight on at turn one. Marquez had sat behid his team-leader for a majority of the race and hadn't so much as shown him a wheel. But, with six left, Marquez went past Pedrosa who then had Rossi to deal with.
It took Rossi just a brace of laps to dispense with Pedrosa and set off after Marquez, who was putting in Stoner-style lines around the desert track. With three left, The Doctor went past the reigning Moto2 Champion on the brakes but a lap later, the cheeky youngster was back in front into turn one.
Rossi, however, took it all in his stride and nipped back inside Marquez into turn three and just pulled enough of a gap to claim second place and the podium he has been promising himself since November.
Pedrosa had to settle for fourth in what has been a tough weekend for the series' bridesmaid. Crutchlow, who looked beside himself in the garage, took fifth place while Alvaro Bautista, who gambled on the soft front tyre, ended in his customary sixth place.
Dovizioso, who had to give Rossi a lift back after his YZR-M1 ran out of fuel on the cool-down lap, ended in seventh, just ahead of team-mate Nicky Hayden. Andrea Iannone and Ben Spies completed the top ten.
Britain's Bradley Smith crashed out of his debut race, as did Stefan Bradl who lost the front while trying to hang on to Rossi's coat-tails. PBM's Michael Laverty, however, did finish his debut, crossing the line in 17th.
