2019 Qatar GP: 4 Predictions for the race

March 10, 2019, will host the inaugural race of the 2019 Grand Prix Motorcycling Racing season in Qatar.

The premier class will see five-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez defend his title to edge closer to the elusive record set by the prolific Italian Valentino Rossi.

Regarding qualifying, the Spaniard starts the race from the third place while his Italian nemesis Andrea Dovizioso takes the second spot on the grid. Moto2's qualifying session was topped by Marcel Schrotter while the Moto3 division was dominated by KTM's Aron Canet.

Without further ado, let us look closer at the four things that could happen during the race at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

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#4 A close fight in Moto2 and Moto3

Aron Canet will start the Moto3 race from the pole position

The top-12 riders in the Moto3 division and the top-15 riders in the Moto2 division were separated by less than a second during the qualifying session.

Aron Canet, after putting strong shows during the free practice session, managed to secure the pole position just 0.146 seconds ahead of Xavi Vierge. On the other hand, in Moto2, Dynavolt Intact GP's Marcel Schrotter took the top spot on the starting grid with a lap time of 1'58.585.

Despite these two riders starting from the best possible position, there is no certainty that it would result in a race win as a big bunch of riders are split by only a small margin, outlining the capabilities of their respective machines.

A good start by a rider and a couple of mistakes by the other could propel the first to a very good position to secure a podium when the chequered flag is waved at the end of the race. With the way the qualifying session has planned out, the podium places for the two support classes are wide open, and anything could transpire during the race.

#3 Maverick Vinales establishes himself as a top rider

Maverick Vinales took the pole position in the inaugural race of the 2019 season

Maverick Vinales endured a splendid qualifying session on Saturday, ultimately finishing on pole, ahead of Dovizioso and Marc Marquez, garnering all the attention before the main race on Sunday.

In the past, Vinales was always overshadowed by the seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi. With the qualifying session not going as planned for the Italian, forcing him to start the race from a lowly fourteenth place, Vinales, who is on pole, has a brilliant opportunity to establish himself as the future for the Yamaha Factory Racing in the seasons to come.

A podium would do him a world of good or even a top-4 finish would put the spotlight on him for the rest of the season as the rider who can get results for the Yamaha Factory Racing team, which has struggled since the previous season.

#2 Jack Miller secures a spot on the podium

Jack Miller starts the race from the fourth place

Jack Miller displayed extraordinary pace throughout the weekend, which allowed him to secure a brilliant fourth place, three places ahead of Ducati's number-two man Danilo Petrucci.

The 24-year-old Australian rider, with the Alma Pramac Racing Team, has defied all odds by putting spectacular performances that are comparable to the riders from the Factory Racing teams. His qualifying time of 1'53.809, less than 0.3 seconds behind Vinales is yet another testament to his blistering pace this weekend.

A good start off the line and a consistent ride throughout the duration of the race might be just enough for the Australian to secure his second MotoGP podium in the first race of the 2019 season.

Elsewhere, there is a possibility that one of the Petronas Yamaha SRT teams could also find themselves in the hunt for a place in the top-5.

#1 Marc Marquez wins the Grand Prix

Marc Marquez would be looking to get the 2019 season underway with a win

Like always, Marc Marquez set a brilliant time in the qualifying session that saw him take the third spot on the starting grid, less than 0.2 seconds behind the poleman Maverick Vinales.

Marquez, riding the Repsol Honda machine, is just 0.001 seconds behind Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso, showcasing that the Honda motorcycle has a very good competitive advantage at the Losail International Circuit.

Looking at the way things have panned during the previous MotoGP season and Yamaha Factory Racing not being at their top, it shouldn't be a surprise if the race comes down to a duo between the Italian and the Spaniard.

The multiple-time world champion's hunger could just help him to cross the line ahead of the competition and secure a win at the circuit, which was denied to him during the 2018 season.

His teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, on the other hand, struggled in qualifying and would probably find himself fighting for a spot in the midfield.