125cc: Iannone wins truncated Qatar race

The grand prix, scheduled to run for 18 laps, saw the first spots of rain hitting the floodlit circuit on the third lap, with the red flag shown just two laps later, after the riders had completed only four laps.

But thanks to article 1.23.3 of the sporting regulations, which states that half points can be awarded if it is impossible to restart the race and if more than three laps have been completed, the organisers were able to consider the race finished.

After four laps Aprilia Ongetta rider Iannone was leading Aspar Aprilia's Julian Simon by less than two tenths thanks to a fine start by the Italian from third on the grid, and a bad start by the Spaniard.

Simon dropped to sixth at the first corner after starting from pole, but in the end can consider himself lucky to finish second because he crashed right after taking the red flag.

Ajo Derbi's Sandro Cortese took the third, his maiden podium, despite being already over five seconds behind the leaders, also thanks to a massive high-side by KTM's Marc Marquez while running third on the fourth and last lap. Pol Espargaro's works Derbi followed in fourth.

Simon's team-mate Bradley Smith was also left disappointed by finishing fifth after starting from second on the grid, while Aprilia Ongetta's 15-year-old rider Jonas Folger ended up sixth, his career-best result, after starting 10th.

Nicolas Terol (Jack & Jones Aprilia), Stefan Bradl (Kiefer Aprilia), Danny Webb (Degraaf Aprilia) and Esteve Rabat (Blusens Aprilia) completed the top ten.

Pos  Rider               Bike     Time
 1.  Andrea Iannone      Aprilia  8m37.245s
 2.  Julian Simon        Aprilia  +  0.180s
 3.  Sandro Cortese      Derbi    +  5.211s
 4.  Pol Espargaro       Derbi    +  5.769s
 5.  Bradley Smith       Aprilia  +  6.650s
 6.  Jonas Folger        Aprilia  +  6.701s
 7.  Nicolas Terol       Aprilia  +  6.771s
 8.  Stefan Bradl        Aprilia  +  7.592s
 9.  Daniel Webb         Aprilia  +  8.169s
10.  Esteve Rabat        Aprilia  +  8.678s
11.  Dominique Aegerter  Derbi    + 12.232s
12.  Sergio Gadea        Aprilia  + 12.237s
13.  Scott Redding       Aprilia  + 12.360s
14.  Simone Corsi        Aprilia  + 13.754s
15.  Johann Zarco        Aprilia  + 13.783s
16.  Cameron Beaubier    KTM      + 13.893s
17.  Efren Vazquez       Derbi    + 14.170s
18.  Joan Olive          Derbi    + 14.452s
19.  Lorenzo Zanetti     Aprilia  + 15.310s
20.  Takaaki Nakagami    Aprilia  + 16.415s
21.  Lorenzo Savadori    Aprilia  + 18.602s
22.  Randy Krummenacher  Aprilia  + 19.355s
23.  Jasper Iwema        Honda    + 28.034s
24.  Luca Marconi        Aprilia  + 28.114s
25.  Lukas Sembera       Aprilia  + 28.199s
26.  Alexis Masbou       Loncin   + 28.272s
27.  Tomoyoshi Koyama    Loncin   + 28.544s
28.  Luca Vitali         Aprilia  + 53.927s

Retirements:

     Rider               Bike     Laps
     Marc Marquez        KTM      3
     Michael Ranseder    Haojue   3
     Matthew Hoyle       Haojue   0