What a performance we saw from the two Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookies when they made their race debut at the season opener at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Folger the quickest rookie throughout the IRTA tests

Jonas Folger has dominated every test as far as rookies are concerned as he proved the quickest out of the four joining the MotoGP paddock after he set the fastest lap time out of them during each of the four IRTA tests. Not only did Folger do that, he on some occasions was able to beat many factory riders who have completed several seasons already.

His new teammate, double Moto2 champion Johann Zarco, was doing just as well as he began adjusting to his new machinery, finishing mostly a few places behind him. He stole the show over weekend of the Qatar GP however.

Qualifying cancelled due to rain

Rain cancelled Qualifying in Qatar the day before the race. It meant that the grid was composed using the combined Free Practice times and Zarco was to start his first MotoGP race from the start of the second row in fourth. His teammate, Folger started from the centre of the row behind in eighth.

Zarco leads the season opener in Qatar

Now what happened next surprised everyone. Whether it was down to the slight rain shower making the track greasy causing riders to use the run-off areas on the sighting lap, (it then in turn caused several riders to dispute whether or not the race should go ahead with race officials) or whether it was the delays that in turn were caused as deliberations and observations of the track took place, Zarco got a fantastic start and proved why he was the first Moto2 double champion.

When the lights finally went out to officially signify the start of the season, Andrea Iannone (who was making his race debut with Team Suzuki Ecstar) led into the first corner from second on the grid. Zarco was able to work his way up to second in the first couple of corners. But by the end of the first lap he was leading! Who would have thought it? A rookie leading the race!

Not only did he lead, but he did so for six laps, and he was able to extend a lead ahead of 2016 MotoGP champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda). It was amazing, he continued to break away bit by bit and was nearly two seconds ahead when disaster struck.

Zarco crashes out after leading for six laps

As he approached turn two on lap he was caught out. The Frenchman went down and his bike slid into the gravel before tumbling and destroying itself. It was race over for Zarco! It was such a disappointing sight to see, but, at the same time, his short reign on his MotoGP race debut would most definitely been a wake-up call for his new colleagues in the elite class.

Double Moto2 champion happy despite the overall result

“Despite the end result” Zarco explained, he was still “happy” and described how it felt “so good to lead the field in [his] first race”. During the extra-long warm-up they received due to missing out on track time due to the cancelled Free Practice 4 and Qualifying sessions, Zarco found that the “track was not perfect” however his “feeling was very strong” and he knew his “grid position was very close to the top”.

When the race “finally commenced” Zarco explained that he was “focused” and could see that he was “not far from first”, knowing this he “wanted to take the opportunity to do well”. Analysing the beginning of the race Zarco spoke of how his “starts are strong and [he] overtook some good riders at the first corner” before he went and “got into a consistent rhythm”.

Zarco describes his crash

After that he “kept pushing” but the on the seventh lap he “decided to relax” which is when he though he maybe “went off the racing line a little bit” which resulted at him falling at the second corner. He knew it was a “shame” but he said they are “always on the limit” and he feels he still needs to “learn the category”, and so “this kind of mistake is part of [his] lesson as a rookie in MotoGP”.

Zarco said, “I am happy in the end, it’s a pity about the result but it’s important for my confidence and I am excited for the Argentina round.”

Folger recovered from a bad start to finish 10th in Qatar

For Folger, he got a disappointing and unjustified start (when considering his efforts over the winter) as he dropped to 18th on the first lap. Despite this however, he worked incredibly hard and also indicated his potential as he managed to work his way up through the rankings before crossing the line in 10th. What a performance from the other rookie, who made sure three Yamaha’s crossed the line in the top 10.

He actually just missed out on a ninth place finish as he was overtaken in the closing stages by rookie rival Alex Rins who now rides for Team Suzuki Ecstar.

Folger plans to improve his starts for the future

Afterwards, Folger said, “I am happy to finish my first MotoGP race inside the top ten, but I still have a lot to learn for the future” when analysing the performance in his first MotoGP race. He said that the “last part of the GP was good” and he found he was “able to recover well”. However, he knew the “conditions were not great at the beginning” when he explained that the “rain as well as the waiting” resulted in him feeling “nervous”.

Despite the start to the race he knew he had to “take all the positives from this round and focus on the next event”. His plans now for the future are to “work on [himself] more and also with the team” in an attempt to enable him to “go quicker at the beginning of the next GP” where he hopes to hold his Qualifying position.

Overall he felt that he has “a solid pace” and now they know where they “have to improve” and so he has left Qatar feeling “confident for Argentina” where he is “looking forward to the challenge”.