MotoGP great Valentino Rossi won the Qatar season-opener for Yamaha on Sunday with Italian riders sweeping the podium places after a thrilling duel under the Losail floodlights.
Andrea Dovizioso, who had started on pole position while Rossi was only eighth on the grid, took second place just 0.174 seconds behind for Ducati with team mate Andrea Iannone finishing third.
Honda's double world champion Marc Marquez was fifth after been forced out at the first corner and having to fight back through the field from last.
The win, at the age of 36, was the 109th of Rossi's grand prix career and 83rd in the top category of motorcycling.
Ireland's Eugene Laverty came home 18th in his maiden MotoGP, having started 19th on the grid.
