MotoGP Qatar: Espargaro aiming for title, ‘I feel powerful on the bike’

Pol Espargaro looked to be on for his first MotoGP victory in Qatar on Sunday before tyre life and Enea Bastianini spoiled the Honda riders run.

Lining up fourth on the grid for Lusail International’s opening premier class race of 2022, Espargaro had two Ducati’s and his Repsol Honda teammate in front as the lights went out. While famed for lighting starts, the Ducati’s failed to control the holeshot with Espargaro jumping to the front, initially behind his more experienced cohort before he took charge over Marc Marquez and didn’t look back.

What appeared to be the perfect race began to fade in the final stages as his soft option tyres struggled in the desert heat. Five laps before the flag, Bastianini breathed through down the home straight, Espargaro running wide as he attempted to control the RC213V with KTM’s Brad Binder sealing his fate and capitalising on the open opportunity at the first corner.

A victory instantly turned to third place but the Spaniard was far from disappointing having proved his worth, in style, across the 22-lap race.

“It’s very nice,” Espargaro said as the dust settled on the Doha celebrations. “Honestly speaking, at the end, you know, I finished third when I lead almost all the race. To finish third, sure it’s not, when you’re leading all of the race what you want to get at the end but overall, I think we, Honda and myself, we send the message tonight that not just Marc Marquez is able to win with Honda. This is great after many, many years of Honda just having one guy winning. I think for the all Honda group this is great.

“This means that the bike is able to win with another different rider, with different riding style, coming from a different place and this for one manufacturer is