(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
DOHA: Spain's rising star Maverick Vinales, the pole winner after Saturday's sensational rain wipe-out, on Sunday stormed to fast-paced win in the new season's first race the Grand Prix of Qatar.
The 22-year-old Italian won the rain-delayed 20-lap race ahead of Andrea Dovizioso and bike legend Valentino Rossi under lights at the Losail International Circuit (LIC).
Maverick, who has won pole positions in all three classes, clocked a time of 38.59.999 after the season's first race got delayed because of a wet surface at LIC.
Dovizioso, riding for Ducati, was 0.461 seconds slower than Meverick who was one of the fastest riders across the four pre-season testing sessions earlier in the season.
Rossi, who won the Grand Prix of Qatar in 2015, was 1.928 seconds off the pace set by Yamaha teammate Maverick.
World champion Marc Marquez (+6.745 seconds) and Dani Pedrosa (+7.128
seconds) completed the top 5.
Earlier Cal Crutchlow, Johann Zarco - who lead the race for 5 laps - Andrea Iannone and Alvaro Bautista crashed out of the race.
The season's second Grand Prix will be held in Argentina on April 9.
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