Qatar MotoGP 28 March 2021

1. M. Viñales       2. J. Zarco       3. F. Bagnaia

Viñales stuns in the desert to win Round 1
Losail, 28 March 2021

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An unreal opening race of 2021 saw Yamaha come out on top; Ducati’s Zarco and Bagnaia pip Mir to the rostrum on final lap.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales unravelled a stunning race to claim victory at the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar, as 2021 kicked off in sublime style in the desert.

Viñales climbed his way through the pack to eventually beat second place Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) by just over a second, as the Frenchman and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) beat reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) on the run to the line to stand on the rostrum.
 

  
 

F1 Bahrain GP, 28 March 2021

1. L. Hamilton       2. M. Verstappen       3. V. Bottas

How Hamilton beat Verstappen with a slower car at the Bahrain Grand Prix
Bahrain IC          [28 March 2021]

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For all the millions of dollars and labour hours invested by Mercedes and Red Bull over the winter, the two cars that Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen raced on Sunday evening were split by just 0.7s after 300km of racing.

The close finish was the best result Formula One could have hoped for and teases the potential for the most exciting title battle in years. What made the race so great was that it could have gone either way. On pure performance, Red Bull had the edge, but Mercedes was close enough that a clever tyre strategy had the potential to turn the tables.

Hamilton drove one of the best races of his career. Verstappen, it's fair to say, did not. But the two hours of entertainment that resulted was absolute box office.