MotoGP – 250cc – 125cc

The first race of the 2008 MotoGP season would be fought out between the always exciting and ever competitive 125cc class at the Losail circuit in Qatar. Continuing with the theme of ‘firsts’ the race would also be the first ever MotoGP race to be held at night, under lights. To complete the hat trick and round this intro off nicely, Bradley Smith would be starting the race from pole position for the first time in his career, making him the first Englishman to score a pole position in the 125cc class for more than 30 years.

Joining Smith on the front row following Saturday’s illuminated qualifying session would be last year’s 125cc champion and warm-up leader Gabor Talmacsi, Frenchman Mike DiMeglio and yet another Briton, rookie Scott Redding in fourth. Making up the second row and also riders to keep an eye out for during the race would be you guessed it, another Briton in Danny Webb followed by Rafaelle deRosa, Nico Terol and Sergio Gadea in eighth.

Down on the grid in cool 15 degree temperatures, the revs rose along with the rider’s nerves and concentration. The lights that were being focused on so intently flicked from red to off as the massive 125cc horde swarmed away from their respective grid positions, leaving a cloud of two-stroke fumes in the dark of the Qatari night. Pole-man Smith headed the pack into turn one followed closely by Talmacsi and DiMeglio. Redding made a shocking start from fourth.

Repsol Honda rider Esteve Rabat crashed out of fourth place on the opening lap after a blinder off the line as Smith put his head down and upped the pace at the front. Into turn one for lap two and DiMeglio moved into second place past Talmacsi. During the second lap Bradley Smith pulled up suddenly, looking down at his RSA Aprilia as he drifted back through the field.

Smith’s sudden and rapid drop through the field allowed the front six riders to break away. Talmacsi headed the group from DiMeglio, deRosa, Olive, Webb and Gadea completing the leading sextet. At the completion of lap three, fourth placed man Joan Olive set the fastest lap of the race as Gadea and Webb in fifth and sixth behind him began to fall away from the leading bunch.

Olive continued his charge and impressive pace during the following laps, easing past DiMeglio and deRosa and instantly heaping pressure on race leader and 125cc veteran Talmacsi. He moved by Talmacsi at turn one a lap later and would hope to continue his forward momentum and build a gap over the field.

However, the dicing and battling between the leading quartet had allowed Gadea and Webb to turn the leading pack back into a six-way battle. It would be six plus one only a lap later as Scott Redding had latched onto the back of the leaders after setting a new fastest lap of the race. This sparked a flurry of action at the head of the field as Olive dropped to fourth from the lead and Gadea took over at the front followed by his teammate Talmacsi.

Talmacsi took over from his teammate at the front with 10 laps to be completed. The top 10 included Gadea in second place followed by deRosa, Olive, Webb, DiMeglio, Redding a rapidly closing Bradl and a further gap back to Iannone and Terol.

Tomoyoshi Koyama crashed out of the race with nine laps to be completed. It proved to be a disappointing race for the Japanese KTM rider who battled for the championship just last year.

The wily Talmacsi began to increase the pace and push extremely hard as the laps ticked away. Gadea and deRosa were managing to stick with the Hungarian as a gap formed back to 15 year old rookie Scott Redding in fourth, an amazing performance from the youngest ever rider to start from the front row of a 125cc race.

Redding managed to knuckle down and re-join the lead riders as passes began to be made thick and fast. Gadea and Talmacsi exchanged the lead position at will as Redding moved up into third. The action and fierce scrapping at the front allowed DiMeglio and Olive in fifth and sixth to bridge the gap yet again. In the space of half a lap Redding was relegated from third to sixth as riders with more experience positioned themselves on the ideal peace of tarmac to try and snatch a race win.

With four laps to run, race long leader and reigning world champ Talmacsi’s Aprilia expired, the lead was inherited by Frenchman Mike DiMeglio. DeRosa and Olive in second and third positions were stalking DiMeglio at the front as Gadea in fourth had some work to do in order to claim a podium place.

With three laps until the greeting of the checkered flag Rafaelle deRosa in third could smell his first GP victory, he attempted to make a move on Joan Olive in second when a move was not really there to be made. He careered into the back of Olive and crashed out, forcing Olive back to fourth and promoting Gadea and Redding into podium positions.

DiMeglio continued to lead until Gadea made a move for the lead heading onto the penultimate lap. Olive managed to compose himself and move past Redding and back into third. Gadea meanwhile began to build a gap over DiMeglio behind him as Olive relegated the Frenchman to third and set after his countryman at the front.

Over the course of the last lap Olive did his utmost to bridge the gap to Gadea. DiMeglio was left behind to deal with Redding and Bradl in fourth and fifth in the fight for the final podium place. Gadea’s gap and pace looked comfortable as he and Olive looked dead certainties to occupy the top two steps of the podium.

Gadea managed his race brilliantly and won the opening round of the 2008 world championship, riding with a dislocated shoulder no less. Olive managed to storm home for second place after being all but taken out by an out of control Rafaelle deRosa. In the dash to the line for the final podium place, Stefan Bradl slipstreamed his way from fifth to third while setting his personal best lap time and relegated DiMeglio to fourth and Redding to fifth.

Danny Webb, who fought for the lead early on, finished a strong sixth place followed by Corsi, Espargaro, Vazquez and Terol rounded out the top ten. Pole-sitter Bradley Smith finished 16th place and race long leader Talmacsi limped home in 12th.

Sergio Gadea made the perfect start to the season and managed to capitalize on his primary title rivals’ misfortune, after the race his discomfort was shown, unable to get off the bike and tears welling in his eyes as a result of the pain of his dislocated shoulder. Olive could finally be ready to make the step up and put together a real title threat, his second place after a very near miss showed a strength and determination that he has perceived to have lacked in past seasons.

The paddock would now take a three week break into the next round at Jerez where the likes of Gadea and Olive would hope to put on a show for their home fans and continue their good form. Conversely the likes of Smith and Talmacsi would hope to set their championships on a much more positive note after the disappointment suffered not only by them but their RSA Aprilia’s here at Qatar.