DANNY KENT opened the 2015 Moto3 world championship season in nail-biting fashion with a podium finish under the floodlights in Qatar.

Aboard his Honda machine in the Leopard Racing livery, the 21-year-old from Malmesbury set the fastest times in free practise, although his qualifying session was disappointing and he started the race from ninth position on the grid.

However, the dual Moto3 Grand Prix winner was in the leading group throughout and led at the mid-point of the race. Ten riders were fighting it out at the front and following a tense scrap on the last lap Kent secured third place and the final podium spot.

Less than a second separated the first nine across the finishing line.

Kent said: “I’m happy with the result. All weekend we’ve shown very strong pace but we were a bit unlucky in qualifying.

“Normally I struggle to start the year off strongly so it’s a big relief for me to start the year so well. Coming out of that last corner in a big group it could have been anybody’s race so you just have to be clever and we were lucky enough.

“We have worked hard and it paid off with a podium. I’m really happy and a big thanks to all the team, especially my crew chief who’s been working very hard all weekend.”

Frenchman Alexis Masbou is the first leader of the world championships standings after taking first place in the 18-lap race from Enea Bastianini, with Kent in third and the Brit's team-mate Efren Vazquez in  fourth.

Round two of the championship is on Sunday, April 12 in Austin, Texas where Kent will bid to add to his two Grand Prix victories of 2012 in Japan and Spain.