John McPhee claims brilliant runner-up finish in Qatar Moto3 race

As usual the Moto3 race was a fantastic scrap from start to finish with no less than twenty riders fighting for every inch of the 3.3mile Losail International Circuit in the closing stages of a brilliant race.

McPhee had to come from a long way back to challenge for the win after a poor qualifying saw him on row three for Sunday’s race but the Scot took his time picking his way through the traffic until with five laps to go he was lying fifth and looking every bit a podium finisher.

With three laps to go the Scot had forced his way to the front until a small mistake saw him running wide and loosing a few places. But he wasn’t finished and going on to the last lap he had fought back to second behind Arenas.

The pair got their heads down and put some space between themselves and the chasing pack on the final lap and although McPhee pulled out of the Spaniards slipstream as they powered to the line he just couldn’t take the win.

Japan’s Ai Ogura was promoted to third place after Jaume Masia was penalised one place after exceeding the track limits on the final lap.

It was a delighted McPhee who said: “It’s a fantastic way to start and I’m so happy for the team and for everyone that’s been working hard around me to make this possible.

“We’ve worked all off-season for this; I’ve worked with my crew and really focused on being alone on track to work on the race pace. To then put all the practice into the performance today was a really nice feeling.

“The first seven or eight laps caught me a little unawares as I didn’t expect some of the guys to be so strong. I knew that my main strength was at the end of the race on the used tyre so I was keeping that in mind trying to stay with the top seven. I almost put the perfect plan together.

“I thought about making a lunge on the last corner of the last lap but I knew from watching races from the last few years that only once has someone been able to lead from the last corner across the line so I thought it was a good plan to be second out of the last corner. It didn’t pay off but I’m really happy to be on the podium.”

In the 20-lap Moto2 race it was a debut Grand Prix win for Japanese rider Tetsuta Nagashima.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider had never been on the podium before Qatar but he blew the opposition away in the final stages of another fantastic race.

He dedicated his win to his late friend Shoya Tomizawa who won the same race at the same track ten years ago.

Nagashima said: “Shoya was like a brother to me. When I started racing we were always together and he taught me a lot. I remember it well when he won the race here. My first time winning is unbelievable, thank you to Shoya, my family and my team. I’m very happy.”