Nicolas Terol (Bankia Aspar) took the top spot in the season opener at the Losail International Circuit. Under the floodlights the 125cc class kicked off the championship and it was the Spaniard who collected the 25 points, after dominating every session held in Qatar this weekend.

Aprillia have won the 125cc race in Qatar for the past five years and Terol made it six in a row. The Bankia Aspar rider won the race here in Qatar in 2010 and his victory in the 2011 opening round, takes his victory tally to six in this class. Terol was never headed from the start and made an early getaway, winning by a large margin of 7.710.

The fight for the podium was hotly contested amongst a group of four riders, but it was Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) making his 100th Grand Prix start, who clinched second place in the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar, taking his sixth podium in 125cc.


Weather conditions were perfect for the race with no breeze and temperatures of 27 degrees. The fight for the final podium position was fierce, but it went to the experienced rider Sergio Gadea (PEV-Blusens-SMX Paris Hilton) who won the first ever Qatar Grand Prix back in 2008. He edged out Efrén Vázquez (Ajo Motorsport) and Jonas Folger (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) for third, who followed close behind.

Frenchman Johann Zarco (Ajo Motorsport) was next up in sixth position ahead of Alberto Moncayo (Team Andalucía Banca Cívica) and Luis Salom (RW Racing GP). The final two places in top ten went to the rookie riders, Maverick Viñales (PEV-Blusens-SMX Paris Hilton) and Miguel Oliveira (Team Andalucía Banca Cívica).

Héctor Faubel (Bankia Aspar) had been involved in the exciting tussle for the podium positions, but appeared to suffer mechanical gremlins with five laps to go, which dropped him outside of the top 10 at the end to finish 11th.

Adrián Martín (Bankia Aspar) crashed on lap 2 which damaged both bike and rider after he had started in 15th position, but he managed to rejoin the race. Hiroki Ono (Caretta Technology Forward Racing) wasn’t so lucky after an accident whilst he was in 13th place, which put him out of proceedings.

Danny Kent (Red Bull Ajo Motorsport) was the top British rider with 13th place and Danny Webb (Mahindra Racing) who took a tumble in warm-up yesterday, just missed out on the points by finishing 16th. Webb will celebrate his 20th birthday this coming Tuesday. Taylor Mackenzie (Phonica Racing) on his third GP start was 18th, after a mistake when he ran off track when in the top 15. Harry Stafford (Ongetta-Centro Seta) was 25th in his Grand Prix debut, riding with a broken hand.