Defending world champion Valentino Rossi won the opening race of the 2010 MotoGP championship in Qatar after Casey Stoner, running over 2 seconds clear of Rossi, gifted the Fiat Yamaha rider the lead by tucking his factory Ducati GP10’s front wheel in corner four on lap five and crashing.
The Italian then held off a challenge by compatriot Andrea Dovizioso and was able to break clear and win by more than one second. The real drama was then in the battle between Dovizioso, Nicky Hayden and Jorge Lorenzo for the remaining podium spots.
Lorenzo leapt into contention with only two laps remaining to claim second, while Dovizioso edged Nicky Hayden for third. Fellow American Ben Spies finished fifth.
2010 Quatar Moto GP Results
1 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 42’50.099
2 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha +1.022
3 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda +1.865
4 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati +1.876
5 Ben SPIES USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha +3.903
6 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda +9.322
7 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda +16.508
8 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha +19.867
9 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki +20.893
10 Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP Honda +21.100
11 Marco SIMONCELLI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda +31.638
12 Hector BARBERA SPA Paginas Amarillas Aspar Ducati +32.573
13 Marco MELANDRI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda +40.780
Not Classified
Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1 Lap
Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 15 Laps
Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 17 Laps
Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Team Ducati 20 Laps
