MotoGP 2016: Lorenzo sees off Ducati challenge to win Qatar Grand Prix

The FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship has entered a new era with Michelin replacing Bridgestone as the sole tyre supplier and with common electronics for all the teams. But there was nothing new about defending MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo's determined charge on board his Yamaha to the head of the field at the 5.380 km Losail International Circuit at Doha for the Qatar Grand Prix.

The Spaniard finished just over two seconds ahead of Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso, who utilized the top speed advantage of his bike to blast past Lorenzo early in the race before he was reeled in and passed. A narrow lead that even the Ducati's straight-line speed could not overcome was reached which then grew larger by the time the race ended.

The gap at the end of the 22-lap race was a dominant 2.019 seconds to Dovizioso's Ducati with former two-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez a further two tenths of a second behind on board his Honda.

In fourth place was Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, who later admitted to never really being in the hunt for victory as his rivals all streaked ahead, leaving the enthusiastic fans of the Italian a bit worried over what the rest of the season may hold for him.

Although he was just a tenth behind his latest nemesis Marquez when the chequered flag dropped for the 2016 season opener.

Twelve seconds behind Rossi was Dani Pedrosa's factory Honda with front row started Maverick Vinales of Suzuki in sixth place, 1.4 seconds behind Pedrosa.

Tech 3 Yamaha's Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith finished seventh and eighth, respectively, three seconds behind Vinales and only three hundredths of a second within each other as they crossed the finish line.

Hector Barbera from the Avintia Ducati team was ninth and Scott Redding aboard the Pramac Ducati completed the top ten.