Qatar is the seventh different Asian country to host a GP (all solo classes) along with Thailand, Turkey, Japan, Malaysia, China and Indonesia.
Losail is the 11th different circuit that has been used for Grand Prix racing in Asia. The others are Motegi (63 Grand Prix races), Sepang (62), Suzuka (56), Shah Alam (21), Shanghai (12), Istanbul Park (9), Fisco/Fuji (8), Sentul (6), Buriram (6) and Johor (3). This weekend will only see Moto3 and Moto2 action as MotoGP class is cancelled due to the Corona Virus travel ban by Qatar authorities.
Moto2 Qatar Quick Facts and Stats
There are 14 Grand Prix winners and 67 victories on the Moto2 grid (one more than last year).
With 17 GP wins to his name, Tom Lüthi is the most successful rider on the grid. His closest rival is Jorge Martin with eight victories, all Moto3.
There are three Grand Prix World Champions: Tom Lüthi (125cc, 2005), Jorge Martin (Moto3, 2018), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Moto3™, 2019). Sam Lowes won the WorldSSP crown in 2013 and Dalla Porta clinched the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship in 2016.
There are six Moto2 rookies: Lorenzo Dalla Porta, Aron Canet, Marcos Ramirez, Andi Farid Izdihar, Hector Garzo and Kasma Daniel Bin Kasmayudin.
Aron Canet and Lorenzo Dalla Porta were both on the podium in the Moto3 race last year in Qatar.
Dalla Porta could become the first lightweight class World Champion to win on his debut in the intermediate class since Dani Pedrosa in 2004.
Tom Lüthi and Lorenzo Baldassarri are the only riders competing full-time who have won in Qatar in Moto2.
Since 2008, there has always been a different winner in 250cc/Moto2 in Qatar. Jorge Lorenzo is the only rider to have won two consecutive races in the intermediate class here, in 2006 and 2007. Baldassarri won last year so could achieve the feat.
Marcel Schrötter qualified on pole position at Losail last year for the first time in his Grand Prix career and took third in the race, which was his second GP podium at the time.
Kalex riders have won the last seven Moto2 races that have been held in Losail. The last non Kalex rider to win at the track was Marc Marquez in 2012, with Suter.
The oldest Moto2 rider is Tom Lüthi, who will be 33 years 184 days old on race day.
The youngest rider is Kasma Daniel Bin Kasmayudin, who will be 20 years 28 years old when he lines up on the grid in Qatar. For the first time since the introduction of the Moto2 class in 2010, there are no teenagers on the full-time entry list at the opening race!
Moto3 Qatar Quick Facts and Stats
11 Grand Prix winners: Romano Fenati (11 GP wins), Niccolo Antonelli (4), Albert Arenas (3), John McPhee (2), Khairul Idam Pawi (2), Tony Arbolino (2), Andrea Migno (1), Jaume Masia (1), Tatsuki Suzuki (1), Kaito Toba (1) and Sergio Garcia (1).
Fenati also tops the current field for podium finishes with 24, followed by John McPhee with 10.
Kaito Toba (2019) and Niccolo Antonelli (2016) are the only riders on the grid who have won in Qatar.
Only one rider has won more the once in the lightweight category at the track: Nico Terol in both 2010 and 2011 – something Toba and Antonelli have chance to equal.
Along with Niccolo Antonelli and Kaito Toba, John McPhee (2017) and Romano Fenati (2012) have been on the podium in Moto3™ in Qatar.
Since 2007 and Qatar being the season opener, only once has the rider who went on to win the title not taken a podium here in the lightweight class: Mike Di Meglio (4th, 2008).
Since 2015, Honda riders have won the Moto3™ race held in Qatar. The last non-Honda winner in Moto3™ class on this track was Jack Miller back in 2014 with KTM. If a KTM wins in 2020 it will be their 100th Grand Prix victory.
There are nine rookies in Moto3™: Jason Dupasquier, Jeremy Alcoba, Deniz Öncü, Barry Baltus (once old enough, currently replaced by Dirk Geiger), Maximilian Kofler, Yuki Kunii, Carlos Tatay, Davide Pizzoli and Ryusei Yamanaka.
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