Any first victory is special. But for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Tetsuta Nagashima, his QNB Grand Prix of Qatar victory was made even more special as he claimed Moto2™ victory 10 years on from his close friend Shoya Tomizawa doing the same thing in 2010 at the Losail International Circuit.
A fitting tribute! ❤️
— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) March 8, 2020
Ten years after the late Shoya Tomizawa won the inaugural #Moto2 race, @tetsuta45 takes his maiden win! ????#QatarGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/VauLbjxV7X
The MotoGP™ paddock mourned the tragic loss of Tomizawa later in 2010 as a rising star lost his life too soon at the San Marino GP, with Nagashima a close friend of Tomizawa’s as they rose through the Grand Prix ranks together. Up until Qatar 2020, Nagashima hadn’t tasted podium success but the stars aligned in Doha as we witnessed a masterclass from Nagashima – a ride Tomizawa would have been proud of. Immediately after taking the chequered flag, Nagashima pointed to the skies as he remembered his late friend, and the Japanese rider was emotional in parc ferme when speaking to motogp.com pitlane reporter Simon Crafar:
Congratulations to Nagashima, what a way to pay tribute to Shoya Tomizawa, and what a way to open the new decade.