The 2021 Doha motorcycle Grand Prix (officially known as the Tissot Grand Prix of Doha) was the second round of the
2021 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It was added to the calendar as a response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. It was held at the
Losail International Circuit
The Losail International Circuit or Lusail International Circuit (Arabic: حلبة لوسيل الدولية) is a motor racing circuit located just outside the city of Lusail, north of Doha, Qatar.
Built in just under a year by 1,000 workers ...
in
Lusail
Lusail ( ar, لوسيل, , ) is the second-largest city in Qatar, located on the coast, in the southern part of the municipality of Al Daayen. Lusail is located about north of the city centre of Doha, just north of the West Bay Lagoon, on over ...
on 4 April 2021.
Background
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
On 22 January 2021
Dorna announced a significant update of the provisional calendar following the postponement of the
Argentine and
American Grands Prix, originally scheduled as the second and third rounds of the championship (on 11 and 18 April respectively) due to the COVID-19 situation in both countries, with potential rescheduling for the last quarter of 2021. The organizers of the
Qatar Grand Prix have signed a contract with Dorna Sports, owner of the sport's commercial rights, to host a double stage at the
Losail International Circuit
The Losail International Circuit or Lusail International Circuit (Arabic: حلبة لوسيل الدولية) is a motor racing circuit located just outside the city of Lusail, north of Doha, Qatar.
Built in just under a year by 1,000 workers ...
, becoming the sixth circuit in the history to host two consecutive World Championship races, and is the first time to be held in Qatar. The race is named after the city of
Doha
Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the count ...
, where the circuit is located just outside the city of
Lusail
Lusail ( ar, لوسيل, , ) is the second-largest city in Qatar, located on the coast, in the southern part of the municipality of Al Daayen. Lusail is located about north of the city centre of Doha, just north of the West Bay Lagoon, on over ...
, north of Doha.
MotoGP Championship standings before the race
After winning the
Qatar Grand Prix,
Maverick Viñales
Maverick Viñales Ruiz (; born 12 January 1995) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Viñales is the 2013 Moto3 World Champion, currently riding in MotoGP for the Aprilia Racing team, after five seasons as a MotoGP factory rider with the ...
leads the riders' ranking with 25 points, followed by
Johann Zarco
Johann Zarco (born 16 July 1990) is a French Grand Prix motorcycle racer, best known for winning the and Moto2 World Championships with his 2015 triumph being a record points total for the intermediate class. He rides for Pramac Racing.
Zar ...
(20),
Francesco Bagnaia
Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia (born 14 January 1997) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer competing in MotoGP for the Ducati Lenovo Team. He is the current MotoGP World Champion and a previous Moto2 World Champion. He is the first rider fro ...
(16),
Joan Mir
Joan Mir Mayrata () (born 1 September 1997) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer riding for the Repsol Honda Team, who is best known for winning the 2020 MotoGP World Championship with Suzuki. He is the fourth Spanish rider to win the prem ...
(13) and
Fabio Quartararo
Fabio Quartararo (; born 20 April 1999), nicknamed El Diablo, is a French Grand Prix motorcycle rider racing in MotoGP for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP. Having won the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, he is the first French World Champion in the ...
(11).
In the constructors' classification,
Yamaha Yamaha may refer to:
* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below).
** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...
is first at 25 points, followed by
Ducati at 20 points.
Suzuki is third at 13 points, with
Aprilia and
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
following with 9 and 8 points respectively.
KTM
KTM AG (Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, formerly KTM Sportmotorcycle AG) is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and sports car manufacturer owned by Pierer Mobility AG and the Indian manufacturer Bajaj Auto. It was formed in 1992 but traces ...
closes with 3 points.
In the team championship standings,
Monster Energy Yamaha leads with 36 points, 13 more than
Ducati Lenovo Team and
Team Suzuki Ecstar and 15 more than
Pramac Racing
Pramac Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP and MotoE World Championships. The team was created in 2002 by Italian company Pramac. In 2005 Pramac Racing joined forces with Spanish d'Antin MotoGP to form "Pramac d'Antin" and ...
.
Repsol Honda Team is fifth at 13 points.
Moto2 Championship riders' standings before the race
After the first race of the season,
Sam Lowes
Samuel Deane Lowes (born 14 September 1990) is a British motorcycle racer competing in the Moto2 World Championship aboard a Kalex since 2019, and is part of the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team.
Lowes' 2022 season ended early, being unable to race ...
leads the intermediate class with 25 points, 5 more than
Remy Gardner
Remy Christopher Gardner (born 24 February 1998) is an Australian motorcycle racer, best known for winning the 2021 Moto2 World Championship with Red Bull KTM Ajo. He is the son of 1987 premier class world champion, Wayne Gardner.
Career M ...
, 9 more than
Fabio Di Giannantonio
Fabio Di Giannantonio (born 10 October 1998) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer, riding for Gresini Racing in MotoGP.
Career Early career
Born in Rome, in 2015 Di Giannantonio finished as the runner-up in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup ...
, 12 more than
Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi (born 12 November 1998) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer, competing for Mooney VR46 Racing Team in the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Career Junior career
Bezzecchi won the Italian Moto3 championship in 2015, and also ...
and 14 more than
Raúl Fernández.
Moto3 Championship riders' standings before the race
In the lightest class the top five places are occupied by
Jaume Masiá Jaume (, ) is a Catalan male given name. It is the equivalent of James.
Notable people
Notable people with this given name include:
* Jaume Aragall (born 1939), Spanish tenor
* Jaume Balagueró (born 1968), Spanish filmmaker
* Jaume Balmes (birth n ...
, with 25 points,
Pedro Acosta (20),
Darryn Binder
Darryn Binder (born 21 January 1998) is a South African professional motorcycle racer set to compete in the 2023 Moto2 World Championship for Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP.
Career
Binder was born in Potchefstroom, South Africa. His older brot ...
(16),
Sergio García
Sergio García Fernández (; born 9 January 1980) is a Spanish professional golfer. He has played on the European Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf Invitational Series. García has won 36 international tournaments as a professional, most notably t ...
(13) and
Gabriel Rodrigo
Gabriel Rodrigo Castillo (born 12 October 1996) is a Spanish-born Argentine former motorcycle racer
Motorcycle racing (also called moto racing and motorbike racing) is the motorcycle sport of racing motorcycles. Major varieties include moto ...
(11).
MotoGP participants
Stefan Bradl replaced
Marc Márquez
Marc Márquez Alentà (born 17 February 1993) is a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, who has raced for Honda's factory team since his MotoGP debut in 2013. Born in Cervera, Catalonia, Spain, he is nicknamed the 'Ant of Cer ...
in the second leg of the season as well, as Márquez extended his recovery from the end-of-season 2020 injury.
Moto2 participants
Tommaso Marcon replaced
Simone Corsi
Simone Corsi (born 24 April 1987) is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Born in Rome, Corsi has been racing in motorcycle world championships for nearly 20 years, amassing over 300 races, 4th all-time, behind only Valentino Rossi, ...
for this round because of an injury.
Moto3 participants
The drivers and teams were the same as the season entry list with no additional stand-in riders for the race.
Free practice
MotoGP
In the first session,
Aleix Espargaró
Aleix Espargaró Villà (born 30 July 1989) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was thSpanish 2004 FIM CEV 125cc International Champion and currently competes in the MotoGP class for Aprilia Racing team.
Career
Espargaró was b ...
finished at the top of the standings ahead of
Álex Rins
Álex Rins Navarro (born 8 December 1995) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer for the LCR Honda Castrol in the MotoGP class. He was the 2011 CEV Buckler 125 Junior GP Champion, and made his Grand Prix motorcycle racing debut in the Moto3 ...
and
Maverick Viñales
Maverick Viñales Ruiz (; born 12 January 1995) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Viñales is the 2013 Moto3 World Champion, currently riding in MotoGP for the Aprilia Racing team, after five seasons as a MotoGP factory rider with the ...
. In the second session three Ducatis were the fastest, with
Jack Miller Jack Miller may refer to:
Military
* Jack Miller (USMC officer) (1920–1942), American marine soldier
* Jack Duppa-Miller (1903–1994), British recipient of the George Cross in World War II, originally called Jack Miller
* USS ''Jack Miller'', ...
the fastest, followed by
Francesco Bagnaia
Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia (born 14 January 1997) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer competing in MotoGP for the Ducati Lenovo Team. He is the current MotoGP World Champion and a previous Moto2 World Champion. He is the first rider fro ...
and
Johann Zarco
Johann Zarco (born 16 July 1990) is a French Grand Prix motorcycle racer, best known for winning the and Moto2 World Championships with his 2015 triumph being a record points total for the intermediate class. He rides for Pramac Racing.
Zar ...
. In the third session,
Fabio Quartararo
Fabio Quartararo (; born 20 April 1999), nicknamed El Diablo, is a French Grand Prix motorcycle rider racing in MotoGP for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP. Having won the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, he is the first French World Champion in the ...
was the best ahead of Rins and
Joan Mir
Joan Mir Mayrata () (born 1 September 1997) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer riding for the Repsol Honda Team, who is best known for winning the 2020 MotoGP World Championship with Suzuki. He is the fourth Spanish rider to win the prem ...
's Suzuki
Combined Free Practice 1-2-3
The top ten bikers (written in bold) qualified in Q2.
The fastest personal time of the bikers are written in bold type.
Free Practice 4
Zarco was the fastest of the session, ahead of Viñales and Mir.
Moto2
In the first session,
Fabio Di Giannantonio
Fabio Di Giannantonio (born 10 October 1998) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer, riding for Gresini Racing in MotoGP.
Career Early career
Born in Rome, in 2015 Di Giannantonio finished as the runner-up in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup ...
was the fastest, followed by
Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi (born 12 November 1998) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer, competing for Mooney VR46 Racing Team in the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Career Junior career
Bezzecchi won the Italian Moto3 championship in 2015, and also ...
and
Joe Roberts. In the second session,
Raúl Fernández preceded Di Giannantonio and Roberts. In the third session
Sam Lowes
Samuel Deane Lowes (born 14 September 1990) is a British motorcycle racer competing in the Moto2 World Championship aboard a Kalex since 2019, and is part of the ELF Marc VDS Racing Team.
Lowes' 2022 season ended early, being unable to race ...
finished at the top of the standings, ahead of Bezzecchi and
Remy Gardner
Remy Christopher Gardner (born 24 February 1998) is an Australian motorcycle racer, best known for winning the 2021 Moto2 World Championship with Red Bull KTM Ajo. He is the son of 1987 premier class world champion, Wayne Gardner.
Career M ...
.
Combined Free Practice
The top fourteen bikers (written in bold) qualified in Q2.
The fastest personal time of the bikers are written in bold type.
Moto3
In the first session,
Jaume Masiá Jaume (, ) is a Catalan male given name. It is the equivalent of James.
Notable people
Notable people with this given name include:
* Jaume Aragall (born 1939), Spanish tenor
* Jaume Balagueró (born 1968), Spanish filmmaker
* Jaume Balmes (birth n ...
was the fastest, followed by
Dennis Foggia
Dennis Foggia (born 7 January 2001) is an Italian motorcycle rider who is scheduled to compete in the 2023 Moto2 World Championship, riding for Italtrans Racing Team. He previously competed in Moto3, becoming the 2021 runner-up.
Career Earl ...
and
Filip Salač
Filip Salač (born 12 December 2001) is a Czech motorcycle rider, competing in the 2023 Moto2 World Championship for QJmotor Gresini Moto2.
Career Junior career
Salač competed full time in the 2016 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, scoring no p ...
. In the second session,
Darryn Binder
Darryn Binder (born 21 January 1998) is a South African professional motorcycle racer set to compete in the 2023 Moto2 World Championship for Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP.
Career
Binder was born in Potchefstroom, South Africa. His older brot ...
finished at the top, with
Sergio García
Sergio García Fernández (; born 9 January 1980) is a Spanish professional golfer. He has played on the European Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf Invitational Series. García has won 36 international tournaments as a professional, most notably t ...
and
Gabriel Rodrigo
Gabriel Rodrigo Castillo (born 12 October 1996) is a Spanish-born Argentine former motorcycle racer
Motorcycle racing (also called moto racing and motorbike racing) is the motorcycle sport of racing motorcycles. Major varieties include moto ...
second and third respectively. Jason Dupasquier was fastest in the third session, ahead of Foggia and
John McPhee
John Angus McPhee (born March 8, 1931) is an American writer. He is considered one of the pioneers of creative nonfiction. He is a four-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in the category General Nonfiction, and he won that award on the four ...
.
Combined Free Practice
The top fourteen bikers (written in bold) qualified in Q2.
The fastest personal time of the bikers are written in bold type.
Qualifying
MotoGP
Moto2
Moto3
;Notes
* –
Sergio García
Sergio García Fernández (; born 9 January 1980) is a Spanish professional golfer. He has played on the European Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf Invitational Series. García has won 36 international tournaments as a professional, most notably t ...
,
Pedro Acosta,
Romano Fenati,
Stefano Nepa,
Dennis Foggia
Dennis Foggia (born 7 January 2001) is an Italian motorcycle rider who is scheduled to compete in the 2023 Moto2 World Championship, riding for Italtrans Racing Team. He previously competed in Moto3, becoming the 2021 runner-up.
Career Earl ...
,
Riccardo Rossi and
Deniz Öncü
Deniz Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish motorcycle racer, currently competing in the Moto3 World Championship, for team Red Bull KTM Tech3. His twin brother, Can Öncü, is also a motorcycle racer. Both brothers are mentored by Turkish mu ...
received a pit lane start penalty for irresponsible driving in the FP2.
Warm up
MotoGP
Johann Zarco
Johann Zarco (born 16 July 1990) is a French Grand Prix motorcycle racer, best known for winning the and Moto2 World Championships with his 2015 triumph being a record points total for the intermediate class. He rides for Pramac Racing.
Zar ...
was the fastest, followed by
Fabio Quartararo
Fabio Quartararo (; born 20 April 1999), nicknamed El Diablo, is a French Grand Prix motorcycle rider racing in MotoGP for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP. Having won the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, he is the first French World Champion in the ...
and
Maverick Viñales
Maverick Viñales Ruiz (; born 12 January 1995) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Viñales is the 2013 Moto3 World Champion, currently riding in MotoGP for the Aprilia Racing team, after five seasons as a MotoGP factory rider with the ...
.
Moto2
Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi (born 12 November 1998) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer, competing for Mooney VR46 Racing Team in the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Career Junior career
Bezzecchi won the Italian Moto3 championship in 2015, and also ...
finished the warm up in the lead ahead of
Marcel Schrotter and
Remy Gardner
Remy Christopher Gardner (born 24 February 1998) is an Australian motorcycle racer, best known for winning the 2021 Moto2 World Championship with Red Bull KTM Ajo. He is the son of 1987 premier class world champion, Wayne Gardner.
Career M ...
.
Moto3
Jaume Masiá Jaume (, ) is a Catalan male given name. It is the equivalent of James.
Notable people
Notable people with this given name include:
* Jaume Aragall (born 1939), Spanish tenor
* Jaume Balagueró (born 1968), Spanish filmmaker
* Jaume Balmes (birth n ...
preceded
Andrea Migno
Andrea Migno (born 10 January 1996) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Migno has also been a competitor in the Italian Honda 125GP Trofeo, the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is a motorcycle racing series con ...
and
Gabriel Rodrigo
Gabriel Rodrigo Castillo (born 12 October 1996) is a Spanish-born Argentine former motorcycle racer
Motorcycle racing (also called moto racing and motorbike racing) is the motorcycle sport of racing motorcycles. Major varieties include moto ...
.
Race
MotoGP
Moto2
Moto3
Championship standings after the race
Below are the standings for the top five riders, constructors, and teams after the round.
MotoGP
;Riders' Championship standings
;Constructors' Championship standings
;Teams' Championship standings
Moto2
;Riders' Championship standings
;Constructors' Championship standings
;Teams' Championship standings
Moto3
;Riders' Championship standings
;Constructors' Championship standings
;Teams' Championship standings
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{MotoGP 2020–29
Doha
Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the count ...
Doha motorcycle Grand Prix
Doha motorcycle Grand Prix
MotoGP
Doha motorcycle Grand Prix