Qatar: Pre-Race Summary

The first qualifiers for MotoGP 2013 are over and what an odd, exciting new format. Cut to the chase, there were some surprises for sure. Both Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez never quite got a chance in the end to clear out and run their best qualifier lap; Rossi seems to have learned a lesson about timing this new 15 minute scramble for grid spots as he's stuck heading up the third row in seventh.

Another ironic twist in the opening of the season is that Andrea Dovisioso managed to come to terms with the factory Ducati and timed his qualifying lap well - and he's landed himself fourth on the grid. Once again the unsung and somewhat acharismatic Dovisioso quietly and undramatically turns in the usual A- work, anonymously padding the list of top talent. Doing it on the Ducati however may be the very thing that calls attention to himself as it puts him in terribly stark contrast with Rossi who could never tame the Desmosedici. It was a little frightening watching Dovi in the practice sessions, that bike just bucks its way out of every corner for everyone like it did for Casey Stoner the whole season.

Other notes - Dani Pedrosa looked like he was having a terrible time throughout all of the qualifying practices but in Q2 he found a magic setup change and a clear space and grabbed the last spot on the front row. Cal Crutchlow remains ridiculously fast and only Jorge Lorenzo could manage to carve out a more perfect lap. Crutchlow is going to get some attention this year, he's in great form, we can only hope Yamaha decides to keep investing in Tech3 Monster bikes instead of letting the satellite languish as the season wears on.

And talk about anonymous, Stefan Bradl managed to nick fifth on the grid ahead of both Márquez and Dovi, let's hope Bradl finally gets a podium finish this year.

Rossi finds himself in an odd third row too, as he's sharing it with Álvaro Bautista and Bradley Smith - Bautista with a crushed left hand and a crushed spirit going into the first race; he seems like he's suffering from fate being against him although it's nothing like the fate that's been stacked against the hapless Ben Spies who in the final practice today had his front tire mysteriously dive out from underneath him in a left hander and dumped him right onto his right shoulder, the one that wasn't quite healing fast enough from a fracture, keeping him just out of the running for the big boys qualifier and leaving him beat up and (of course) 13th on the grid.

Smith had an unprecedented lap that snuck him up into the final ten yesterday, and today he again showed some fine rookie form where before he was in danger of disappearing amongst the CRTs. Props also to rookie Andrea Iannone fresh out of Moto2 who rode the satellite (they call it "junior Ducati" which just seems unfair) Desmosedici faster than even veteran Nicky Hayden could manage on his factory prototype. It'd be good to see Crazy Joe bring his antics to the big time, ruffle some feathers.

Lastly before it gets too deep into the mire, watch out for those Espargaro brothers! Aleix champed his way into Q2 after dominating the Q1scrap for a place in the back and although finishing twelfth of 12 he's still beyond the rest of the "second race" and spearheading the threat to the slower prototypes. And if you want a terrific stunning qualifier lap just watch the Moto2 QP...

Sum it up? I think that 2013 is going to be a year of major personality conflicts, both on and off the track. Tons of talent, everyone fast and grouped together up in factory land, and no sign of sprawling lonely races in the future. Lots of egos and a whole host of interesting political dynamics - new punks, unexpected contenders, the return of a brilliant and charismatic champion, a Spanish armada - let's hope they all stay healthy and the season lives up to its very, very considerable promise!