Finally we got there: under the lights of Qatar, the 2021 MotoGP World Championship delivered its first verdicts. The Doha race started what – once again – will be a championship marked by the serious pandemic situation.

And Maverick Viñales won with Yamaha. Yesterday’s race by the Spaniard was a masterpiece for tactics, lucidity and that touch of naughtiness.

He had to, first of all, reaffirm – rider if not regain – his role as yamaha’s leading rider not only towards teammate Quartararo, but also towards Franco Morbidelli. And he did it by winning, that is, in the best possible way.

Ducati’s hopes, which placed Johann Zarco and Francesco Bagnaia on the podium, were partly dashed, because in light of the pre-season tests that took place on this same track and the official tests, it seemed that hitting the big target was within reach.

After Jack Miller had shown that he was really fit and very fast, the pole position obtained by Bagnaia at the end of a stratospheric lap, placed Desmosedici as the absolute reference to beat.

There was really to have confidence and to see four bikes of Borgo Panigale splash in front of everyone at the start did nothing but confirm the feeling: first Bagnaia, followed by Miller and riders the two Pramac Racing riders, Zarco and the young Martin.

In the end, however, it was Viñales who crossed the finish line first, and that was the first verdict. Maverick reassembled despite riders the resistance of the Desmosedici riders and regulating the flames of his partner Fabio Quartararo: it was an exciting race, which provided several reading cues.

The first we have already said: the competition within the two Yamaha teams to establish hierarchies, a fight in which Franco Morbidelli and even Valentino Rossi had to immediately succumb yesterday, due to manifest technical inferiority. Internal comparison that also looms at ducati house, where Jack Miller – who yesterday was below expectations – and Pecco Bagnaia, riding the bikes of the Ducati Lenovo Team, will have to see each other and look at each other by a Johann Zarco who appeared really consistent: at French, the Italian and the Australian we feel we can give ourselves the same chances to be able to play the title , both for the form demonstrated and for having the exact same technical package available.

With Zarco obviously happy for the second place obtained, Bagnaia also sees the glass half full, identifying in the podium obtained its reconstruction after a difficult end of 2020.

Of the three, the one in tone yesterday was Jack Miller, but a race – the first race – raced below the expectations of the eve can certainly not be final judgments. The Suzuki was also beautiful yesterday and the World Champion Joan Mir is beautiful, who, while throwing away second place and podium at the last turn, on the other proves consistent overall and also in relation to his partner Alex Rins.

Honda appeared in a technical crisis, still stunned by the withdrawal crisis from marc marquez addiction. KTM, a stunning surprise last year, found itself relegated to the relief positions. Who can smile is the Aprilia, now only a small step behind Yamaha, Ducati and Suzuki, waiting for what an rider rider like Andrea Dovizioso can add.

The race of Enea Bastianini, who finished tenth behind Miller on his MotoGP debut with team Esponsorama Racing’s Ducati Avintia, is beautiful. Next Sunday it will be replicated, on the same track: the hunt for confirmations or revenge is open.