Sixth place finish for Husqvarna Factory Laglisse’s Vinales in Qatar

Courtesy of Husqvarna Motorcycles

POSITIVE START FOR HUSQVARNA FACTORY LAGLISSE Husqvarna Factory Laglisse rider Isaac Vinales of Spain had a good night out at the Losail night circuit in Qatar on Sunday converting a front row grid position into an eventual sixth place in the opening round of the 2015 Moto3 World Championship. The race was thrilling throughout and it was already clear in the early stages that any one of around 20 riders could be a potential race winner. It was also clear from the experiences of qualifying that the key to success would be to stay out of trouble and make maximum use of the slipstream going into the final long run to the finish. Vinales got away reasonably well at the start and was in fifth place in the opening lap of the 18-lap race. He settled into the pack at around position eight and nine during the first ten laps and briefly dropped back to thirteenth at the half way mark. Meanwhile riders at the front were engaged in a battle of attrition and the lead group changed position multiple times and at almost every corner of the circuit. Vinales was able to position himself well in a field where anything could and was probably going to happen and did well to come away with his sixth place finish. Vinales was happy with his sixth place position and to be well in the points for the opening round. “There was a great battle in the closing stages and we just lacked a little to fight for the victory,” he said. The team is doing a great job and we must continue working like this.” The team’s second rider, Maria Herrera, finished in twenty-second place in her first trip to the Losail circuit and her main task was to learn the circuit and gain experience. She said she was pleased to have trimmed a second off her time during the weekend and considered it was a very positive race. “I was good in overtaking and I have more confidence on the bike, so I am very happy,” Herrera said. Team manager Gelete Nieto said he was happy with the results of the first race. “Isaac surprised us all because although he had a good grid position the pace during the weekend was not as constant as we wanted. He did fight hard to finish sixth and we’re very happy with that. We’re also pleased to see what Maria has achieved. She fought with a group of several riders and we’re pleased about that. This category is amazingly close so we have to work hard to get ahead.” Next Event: GP of the Americas, USA, April 12, 2015 CAPTION 1: Vinales fights with the main group in opening round CAPTION 2: Front row grid position for Isaac Vinales CAPTION 3: Maria Herrera gains valuable race experience in Qatar More at www.motogp.com ** Moto3 Results – Round One  GP of Qatar 1, Alexis Masbou, FRA, Honda, 38:25.424 2, Enea Bastianini, ITA, Honda, 38:25.451 3, Danny Kent, GBR, Honda, 38:25.566 4, Efren Vazquez, ESP, Honda, 38:25.712 5, John McPhee, GBR, Honda, 38:26.117 6, Isaac Viñales, ESP, Husqvarna, 38:26.189 … 22. Maria Herrera, ESP, Husqvarna Moto3 Standings after Round 1 1, Masbou, 25 2, Bastianini, 20 3, Kent, 16 4, Vazquez, 13 5, McPhee, 11 6, Viñales, 10

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