MotoGP: Johann Zarco Comes Out On Top As Testing Concludes In Qatar (Updated)

MotoGP: Johann Zarco Comes Out On Top As Testing Concludes In Qatar (Updated)

© 2018, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIM MotoGP World Championship Test

Losail International Circuit, Qatar

March 3, 2018

Day Three Test Results (all on Michelin tires):

1. Johann Zarco, France (Yamaha), 1:54.029

2. Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha), 1:54.276

3. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Ducati), 1:54.331

4. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Honda), 1:54.457

5. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yamaha), 1:54.471

6. Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1:54.591

7. Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), 1:54.650

8. Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Ducati), 1:54.659

9. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Ducati), 1:54.692

10. Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), 1:54.749

11. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (Honda), 1:54.774

12. Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Honda), 1:55.132

13. Bradley Smith, UK (KTM), 1:55.179

14. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1:55.232

15. Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (Yamaha), 1:55.273

16. Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Ducati), 1:55.300

17. Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Ducati), 1:55.347

18. Tito Rabat, Spain (Ducati), 1:55.465

19. Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM), 1:55.489

20. Scott Redding, UK (Aprilia), 1:55.595

21. Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), 1:55.763

22. Xavier Simeon, Belgium (Ducati), 1:55.943

23. Tom Luthi, Switzerland (Honda), 1:56.122

24. Andrea Iannone, Italy (Suzuki), no time recorded

Best Combined Test Time (all on Michelin tires):

1. Johann Zarco, France (Yamaha), 1:54.029

2. Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha), 1:54.276

3. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Ducati), 1:54.331

4. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Honda), 1:54.457

5. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yamaha), 1:54.471

6. Andrea Iannone, Italy (Suzuki), 1:54.586

7. Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1:54.591

8. Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), 1:54.650

9. Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Ducati), 1:54.659

10. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Ducati), 1:54.692

11. Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), 1:54.749

12. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (Honda), 1:54.774

13. Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Honda), 1:55.132

14. Bradley Smith, UK (KTM), 1:55.179

15. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1:55.232

16. Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (Yamaha), 1:55.273

17. Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Ducati), 1:55.300

18. Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Ducati), 1:55.347

19. Tito Rabat, Spain (Ducati), 1:55.465

20. Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM), 1:55.489

21. Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), 1:55.539

22. Scott Redding, UK (Aprilia), 1:55.595

23. Xavier Simeon, Belgium (Ducati), 1:55.943

24. Tom Luthi, Switzerland (Honda), 1:56.122

25. Mika Kallio, Finland (KTM), 1:57.218

More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:

Zarco concludes final pre-season test superbly on top, while Syahrin shows impressive progress

With a masterful lap of 1:54.029 Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider Johann Zarco dominated the MotoGP field on the last day of testing before the start of the 2018 season. The remarkable Frenchman took over the top spot with two hours to go, before he carried out a race simulation in order to be perfectly prepared for the first race, which takes place in two weeks’ time under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit.

On the other side of the Tech3 garage, Hafizh Syahrin improved his pace aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1 considerably. The premier class rookie skimmed nearly 1.5 seconds from his best lap on day one to complete what is just his second MotoGP test only 0.141 behind the fastest newcomer of the category, with a fantastic accomplishment to reach the top 16 overall. Both, Zarco and Syahrin are eager to commence the season following highly promising signs during their respective preparations.

Johann ZARCO

Position: 1st – Time: 1’54.029 – Laps: 53

“That was a very good third day, I’m delighted to finish with the top lap time. I think it was even possible to ride inside the high 53s, but we have to accept that we have to understand step by step how to ride at this speed. We did some great work with the team and with everything we did during these three days, I felt more confidence and I could work well on this. When I did a very long run to test the race, it was not too fast. I did 17 laps in a row, but probably a bit tired after this intense days here. Anyway, we are constant and I can relax a lot on the bike. I’m really happy about that and I need to keep this feeling in mind to start the race weekend well in a fortnight.”

Hafizh SYAHRIN

Position: 15th – Time: 1’55.273- Laps: 44

“I’m very happy about this last day. I didn’t expect to be able to ride in the low 55s and keep this pace also consistently. A huge thank you to the Tech3 crew, they did a really good job. We are working hard in order to try to get closer to the top as much as we can. Honestly, this time today was surprising for me. I feel very confident, although I did a small mistake during the race simulation. But we quickly understood it and know what we have to do for race day. I’m very thrilled, thanks again to our team, all the sponsors and fans, they are fantastic!”

More, from a press release issued by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS:

Big gains for Morbidelli on the final day in Qatar

Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Franco Morbidelli made big gains on the third and final day of testing in Qatar, with the reigning Moto2 World Champion going almost a second faster compared to yesterday.

Morbidelli had been struggling to get the best from the softer option Michelin tyres, with a number of minor crashes in Thailand sapping the Italian’s confidence as he pushed to reduce the gap to the frontrunners on new tyres.

But solid work from Morbidelli and his crew during the three days in Qatar saw this confidence restored and in his final time attack the MotoGP rookie moved into the top 12 with a time of 1’55.132, to end the test on a high.

Lüthi also saw an improvement in his lap time after completing more than 50 laps of the 5.38km Losail International Circuit today, as he continued working with his crew to increase his understanding and familiarity with the Honda RC213V and Michelin tyres.

The Swiss rider has been playing catch up after missing two tests in 2017 due to injury, but made a big step forward during the second test of the season in Buriram, which he backed up with further progress here in Qatar. Lüthi is the first to admit that the learning curve is still steep, but maybe not quite as precipitous as it was when he threw a leg over the Honda RC213V for the first time in Sepang back in January.

The next time Morbidelli and Lüthi take to the track will be to make their premier class debut at the opening race of the season, which takes place on Sunday 18th March, again at the Losail International Circuit.

Franco Morbidelli: 1’55.132

“We made a fairly big change to the bike for the last part of the test yesterday, but today was more about refining the set up with just a few small changes. Now we’ve had three days on this track and we’ve done a lot of laps, which has allowed us to improve our pace and this is the important thing. The three days here in Qatar have gone pretty well, we kept improving and I feel more confortable with the bike, so it’s been a good way to end preseason testing. Now testing is done and I’m looking forward to the first race of the season in two weeks time.”

Tom Lüthi: 1’56.122

“We had some tyres left, which meant I could put in some laps today and more time on the bike is exactly what I need right now. We started today where we left off yesterday and we saw some improvement, but I’m definitely still looking for more. At the moment it’s the same each time for us; working on the bike, trying to understand and, above all else, trying to learn with each exit. What is important is that we’ve made progress every day of the preseason tests, even on the final day here in Qatar. The feeling is coming better and better and that’s exactly what I needed ahead of my first race in MotoGP.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal

“I think Franco has shown that he’s now ready for the first race. He had an issue with getting the best from the soft tyre in Thailand, and crashed a few times as he tried to figure out the process, but that’s a scenario common to new riders in MotoGP. But today he mastered the soft tyre, posting a good lap time that compares favourably with the race times from last season, so we’re happy with this. On Tom’s side there has been constant improvement, even if his position on the timesheet doesn’t reflect this, but his lap time is similar to our times from the race last year, the difference is not so big, but everybody is improving and that’s how it is in racing. I think that soon we will see Tom make the same step that Franco made today, but we lost some time due to him missing the tests last year. I’m confident that in just one or two races Tom will at the same level as Franco is now.”

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:

POSITIVE END FOR WINTER TESTING

Alex Rins: 7th – 1:54.650 (+ 0.621)

Andrea Iannone: N/A

  • Team Suzuki ECSTAR had mixed fortunes on the final day of the last winter test at Losail International Circuit. Nevertheless, overall it has been a positive three days, with the opportunity for the team to adjust and define settings and work on race setup for the first Grand Prix of the year in ten days’ time.
  • Alex Rins kept the crucial consistency which he has shown throughout the winter, and after trying a race simulation he completed the day in 7th place, +0.621 from the top of the timesheet. His overall feeling was very positive.

    Unfortunately Andrea Iannone could not take to the track due to sickness. The symptoms began to set in overnight on Friday and his condition worsened, especially with the addition of a fever. This made it impossible for him to ride. He was finally given the diagnosis of gastroenteritis with fever, which means he will need some time to recover.

    At the end of the session the track was flooded by the organisers in order for the riders to check the conditions should rain strike Qatar during the race weekend, it was compulsory for the riders to check the feel of the tyres and the glare of the wet track under the lights. With Andrea Iannone unable to ride, this task was undertaken by Alex Rins.

    Ken Kawauchi – Technical Manager

    “Overall it was a good test, except for the fact that Andrea was sick today and had to cancel his track time. But on the second day he did a race simulation and he could get some important information to prepare for the race. Alex did all three days of testing so we were able to define his settings for the race. I am confident that we have prepared well for the first race.”

    Davide Brivio – Team Manager

    “We have finished our testing. Today was good and bad; bad because unfortunately Andrea couldn’t ride due to his sickness, so that was a pity. But it’s OK, we’ll just have to finalise things with him during the race weekend. And Alex ended these winter tests with a long run and good pace, so I think we are ready for the GP weekend. Everybody wants to get to the race now, we’re all tired of testing, and we want to know the answers to our questions!”

    Alex Rins

    “I think the three days riding here have been very good, and it’s been a very positive test because we tried many things and we confirmed all these things. We also tried a race simulation and the race pace was quite good, so I’m really excited to start this new season with a lot of confidence, and I think that we have a great package.”

    Andrea Iannone

    “I’m disappointed I couldn’t ride today, but I was feeling very bad. I tried but it was impossible to go out on track. I felt very sick and weak. Anyway, the progress we’ve done in this last test leaves me quite satisfied, we had two positive days and we have a good base. We missed out on the fine tuning work we were supposed to do today, but we will work hard in free practice before the race to recover the tasks we lost. Apart from my sickness, my feeling is good with the bike and the team.”

    More, from a press release issued by Angel Nieto Team:

    NEXT CHALLENGE: GRAND PRIX OF QATAR

    Ángel Nieto Team complete MotoGP preseason with race simulations for both Álvaro Bautista and Karel Abraham

    Johann Zarco announced his arrival as a MotoGP rider on his debut in Qatar last season, when he led the race for several laps, and he will start his second year at the top level as the man in form after finishing the final preseason test at the Losail circuit with the fastest lap (1’54.029). Zarco finished just a tenth off the best ever lap of Losail, which was set by Jorge Lorenzo in 2008 (1’53.927), with Valentino Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow closely behind him as up to twelve riders dipped under the 1’55 mark. Current World Champion Marc Márquez will start his title defence after finishing seventh fastest tonight.

    For the Ángel Nieto Team, Karel Abraham finished with a best lap of 1’55.300, which left him sixteenth overall on the final day. The Czech rider completed a sixteen-lap run (the race here on 18th March will be 22 laps), maintaining a pace between 1’55.8 and 1’56.9. Abraham leaves Qatar feeling satisfied with the work done and with the experience gathered on the Ducati GP16. His team-mate Álvaro Bautista, meanwhile, was just 0.047 seconds behind Abraham after himself completing a full race simulation. The Spaniard improved his pace from yesterday but not enough to leave him completely happy as he targets further improvement during the Grand Prix weekend in a fortnight’s time.

    16th Karel Abraham 1:55.300 (50 laps): “The race simulation we did today was very positive, we set some good times and I am happy with the way it went. In general it has been a good test, we have done a lot of work on the set-up and gathered lots of experience with the new bike. At the end of the day in the wet test I found that the track had much more grip than I expected but the visibility wasn’t the best, there were a lot of reflections.”

    17th Álvaro Bautista 1:55.347 (58 laps): “Today we tried to work more on improving grip and feeling. We tried some things that didn’t work as well as we would have liked. We did improve the feeling but just not as much as we wanted. We also did another race simulation and I was able to go faster than yesterday, just not enough. I would have liked to make more progress today than we did and have a better feeling with the bike, but let’s see if we can improve for the race and be more competitive.”

    More, from a press release issued by Alma Pramac Racing:

    Qatar MotoGP™ Official Test – Losail Circuit (Doha)

    #QatarTest DAY 3. Fantastic long run for Petrux. Jack finishes in Top 10. See you in 2 weeks!

    The last winter tests of the 2018 MotoGP season end with extremely positive results for Alma Pramac Racing. Danilo Petrucci impressed with a great long run and Jack Miller improved his time again and confirmed himself in the TOP 10 (11th in the combined standings) after fifth place in Malaysia and Thailand. At the end of the session, the track was wetted to allow riders to try out the tarmac in wet-conditions.

    On the last day of activity on the Losail International Circuit, the main focus is on race simulation. Petrux got off to a strong start in the morning and remained at the top of the standings for a long time. Then he entered the track for the long run, and he shot consistently in low 55s, making him one of the fastest. The rider from Terni also recorded the Top Speed (346.2 km/h today) for the third consecutive day.

    Jack Miller also had a good feeling and he pushed a lot in the race simulation, managing to record interesting times between 56.0 and low 56s. In the time attack at the end of the session, the Australian rider then managed to score the Top 10, which gives him great confidence ahead of the race.

    8th – Danilo Petrucci 1:54.659

    “I’m really happy for the long run. I managed to make a very good race simulation with soft tyres both at the front and rear and this is a really positive fact also because we made very few changes to the bike. I didn’t look for lap time but that’s not important. Now we have to wait for two weeks but the confidence is very high”.

    10th – Jack Miller 1:54.749

    “We have also managed to make further improvement today, and that is why I am very pleased. We worked on the set up with choices that gave us positive indications. If I have to be honest, I still have a bit of trouble finding the right grip but during the race simulation I had a good feeling and the race pace was good. I am sure that we can improve further”.

    More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

    Marquez and Pedrosa finish final pre-season test in Qatar

    The final day of the last test of the pre-season dawned sunny and dry but quite windy in Qatar. Marc Marquez headed out on the track soon after 3 pm. followed shortly by teammate Dani Pedrosa.

    Both riders used these three days to finalize their preparation for the start of the 2018 season and to work on the race setup of their RC213V. For the first time, today they also had the chance to ride in the wet at the Losail Circuit, as race direction organized a special test for the final hour, artificially soaking the track.

    Marc completed a 10-lap mini long run and a total of 75 laps, with a best time of 1’54.591” on lap 70 to finish sixth fastest for the day. Dani ended in 11th place with a best time of 1’54.774” on lap 29 of 44.

    The team will now fly back to Europe for two weeks but will return on track at Losail on Friday, 16 March, for the first practice of the Qatar GP (2.45 – 3.30 p.m., local time).

    Marc Marquez 93

    6TH (7TH IN THE COMBINED STANDINGS) 1’54.591

    “I’m satisfied with how our pre-season went in general. We’ve worked a lot on our race pace, which is the most important thing in the end. It’s true that we’ve struggled a bit here in Qatar, but we’re happy anyway, as today in particular we took a step forward and I was able to lap consistently enough in the low-to-medium 1’55” range. Today we also tried the carbon swing arm in just one run, and I managed to ride quite fast, though we need to work more on that. For sure the championship will be very competitive starting at the first race, but I hope to enjoy it. Regarding the test in the wet, well, with the reflection of the light it’s a bit more difficult than usual to see the kerbs and the white line, and the track is a bit slippery, but for me it should be possible to do the race if it rains.”

    Dani Pedrosa 26

    11TH (12TH IN THE COMBINED STANDINGS) 1’54.774

    “I’m quite happy with the pre-season overall, with the work we’ve done, and with our pace. We’ve been competitive in different conditions, which is positive. Unfortunately, the crash on the first day made things a bit difficult for us here, and the track itself is also a bit demanding for us, but we made some progress and improved our pace a little anyway. We’re not the fastest here at the moment, but we worked well and understood a lot about the conditions and how the track changes between having grip and not having it. We learned a lot about these things. Now we have to focus on ourselves, not looking at the others, and I think we can take another step for the race. I look forward to starting the championship! Regarding the wet test, I think that in case of rain for the race, we’ll have to speak and decide all together.”

    More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:

    MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP WRAP UP PRE-SEASON TESTING WITH POSITIVE RESULTS

    Today the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team successfully concluded the last day of the 2018 pre-season test in Qatar. Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales secured second and fifth position respectively in both today’s and the combined timesheets.

    Losail (Qatar), 3rd March 2018

    The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team were back on track in Qatar for a very special third and final day of MotoGP testing. Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales had a full schedule today, completing both a dry and a wet session. They ended the 2018 MotoGP pre-season testing on a positive note, finishing in second and fifth place respectively in today’s and the combined timesheets, and in third and seventh position in the wet session.

    Unable to complete his time attack yesterday, Rossi was eager to make strides today. The Doctor entered the track at 15:30 local time and he wasn’t to let a small set-back get in his way. Though he suffered a crash in turn 14 with still four hours of the dry session remaining, he was unharmed and quickly back out on track to make up for lost time.

    The Italian spent the remainder of the available dry time preparing for the first race of the season, to be held at the Losail International Circuit in two weeks’ time, and noticeably quickened his pace towards the end of the session. He ended the dry testing in second place with a 1’54.276s, set on lap 42 of 49 laps, 0.247s from first.

    Viñales also showed that hard work pays off. He started the session half an hour after his teammate, but went the extra mile to find a good set-up, ahead of the first round of the MotoGP season.

    He completed 40 laps in total and made a big step in the final 40 minutes of the dry testing time. He wrapped up the third day of testing in fifth place, posting a best time of 1’54.471s, set on lap 38, 0.442s off the front.

    Following the dry session, the riders were given the opportunity to test the Losail circuit in (artificial) wet conditions during the final hour. Rossi completed the wet session in third place with a 2’15.542s. Viñales secured seventh place in the wet session results, clocking a 2’21.302s.

    The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team will be back in Qatar on March 15th for the MotoGP 2018 Line-up Presentation and to commence the 2018 season, with the Grand Prix of Qatar being held from March 16th – 18th.

    MASSIMO MEREGALLI

    TEAM DIRECTOR

    We worked really hard these last three days and it wasn’t all smooth sailing. We encountered some difficulties along the way that took some time to fix, but in the end we managed to get a lot of testing done and find some solutions. We tried many things, some were good, some weren’t, and we made an important step at the end of the dry session. We also had the opportunity to try the track in wet conditions. The most important thing is that the riders are feeling good on the bike and can carry a competitive and consistent pace, because the season will start in two weeks’ time, which is something we are really looking forward to.

    VALENTINO ROSSI

    I’m quite happy after this test, especially after this afternoon, because I think we’ve worked hard in these last few days and also in the first part of today. This afternoon we put it all together and I was able to do a very good lap for second position and I also had a good rhythm, with a good pace. But, we are all still very close in the timesheets, there are a lot of riders that are strong. We continue to suffer with the tyres, front and rear, and I did just half a race distance. We have to try to understand what will happen from that point until the end of the race – we will see in two weeks.

    MAVERICK VIÑALES

    In the last 40 minutes I think we made a big step. I feel good on the bike, but not at 100% yet, so there’s still room for improvement. Anyway, we did three days of hard work, and we got a bit lost along the way. During those moments I couldn’t push and it shows we need to keep focused and pay attention when we make changes, because in the last 40 minutes it felt like a completely different bike. Like I said, we need to keep working. I think if I were to do a time attack right now, I could do a really good lap time. As soon as I got on the bike, after the changes, I felt comfortable and that I could keep a good rhythm – not as good as last year yet, but after today we came to some conclusions.

    More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Gresini Racing:

    TESTS CONCLUDED IN QATAR, APRILIA READY FOR THE RACE

    COMFORTING FEEDBACK FOR ESPARGARÓ AND REDDING

    The final tests before the start of the 2018 MotoGP Championship, also in Qatar, have just come to a close. For Aprilia these were three important days which provided comforting responses on the level of the new 2018 RS-GP, especially in terms of race pace, as demonstrated by the long-run done by Aleix Espargaró and Scott Redding.

    Both riders worked on refinements in view of the race, turning laps with used tyres to improve the performance of their RS-GP machines, a bike for which consistency over several laps is traditionally one of its strong points.

    ALEIX ESPARGARO’

    “I can’t wait to be back here in two weeks to really get to work. The tests are important but I’m happier when it’s a race. This year things will be even more interesting because all the teams and riders will be at a very high level. I gave it my best during this pre-season to improve the 2018 RS-GP. It was a pity that a small problem kept me from finishing the race simulation. The truth is that the winter tests are often deceiving. There are a lot of riders who manage to do some fast laps but values will change in the race. I believe in our potential and I am confident that we will be battling for the top 8 straight away.”

    SCOTT REDDING

    “We made a nice step forward again today with a few changes that increased my confidence straight away. I did another long run today and I was fast. I felt good on the bike and with a used tyre I did the same time that I had done yesterday with a new tyre. The RS-GP continues to perform very well with the tyres and that is something that has always been a problem for me in the past, whereas even with the soft tyre and a lot of laps I am able to be incisive and that makes me confident for the race.”

    More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

    Zarco, Rossi and Dovi rise to rule Day 3

    Yamaha blast back up top on Saturday, with Dovizioso once again a force to be reckoned with

    Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) leaves the #QatarTest as the fastest man on track, with the Frenchman just over a tenth over Jorge Lorenzo’s 10-year-old pole lap record to top the test with a 1:54.029. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) shot back up into the higher echelons on Day 2 to get closest to the Frenchman as he was 0.247 further back – with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) completing the top three as he was once again a constant presence to be reckoned with.

    Lorenzo’s record that Zarco was hunting down is a 1:53.927, set in 2008 when the now five-time World Champion debuted – a longstanding mark of pace at the venue to add some extra lustre to the Tech 3 rider’s laptime. Behind that show of outright pace from the Frenchman’s Yamaha, Rossi’s two and a half tenth deficit was nevertheless enough to put the Italian into P2 despite a crash earlier in the day – and Dovizioso was just 0.055 off his compatriot.

    In fourth, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was the fastest Honda with a 1:54.457 – continuing his fantastic preseason form – after putting in 57 laps, which was the most of the top five. It was incredibly close between the Brit and the third Yamaha Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), however, with the Spaniard – fastest in testing at the venue last season and the race winner – just 0.014 off after he made a late attack.

    The top five were the same as the combined times on Day 3, but the man who leaves the desert sixth overall set his best laptime on Day 2 – Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar). The Italian, whose 1:54.586 was the fastest lap on Friday, was sidelined on the third and final day of the third and final preseason test, suffering with illness.

    Slotting behind the ‘Maniac’ and his Day 2 assault, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was seventh overall as he guns for his seventh title – and by another tiny margin, with only 0.005 in it. The reigning Champion also showed impressive pace on a long run, and did the most laps of anyone as he racked up 75. He ended the day sandwiched between the Team Suzuki Ecstar machines, as Alex Rins took P8 and ended preseason on form and fully healthy ahead of his sophomore season.

    Two Ducatis locked out the top ten overall, with Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) just 0.009 off Rins ahead of him and 0.033 ahead of the Ducati Team machine of Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo, who went fastest in Sepang with the quickest ever lap, put in a 1:54.692 in Qatar for P10. Second Alma Pramac Racing rider Jack Miller, who headed out late with a soft tyre for a time attack, was P11 overall and another tiny margin made the difference – just 0.057.

    Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), after a big crash on Day 1 and having been affected since by some pain in his left hand, did the least laps on Friday of anyone but put in 44 more on the final day, ending the test in P12 overall after having topped the #ThaiTest.

    Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was the fastest rookie by the end of action in thirteenth, with the Italian-Brazilian leaping up the leaderboard to set a 1:55.132 and take back the honour of fastest rookie from Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Indemitsu), who has largely been the man to watch in preseason. And the second quickest rookie was the newest kid on the block, Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), as the Malaysian – who debuted in Buriram as he steps in to replace Jonas Folger – took P16 and was only just over a tenth off Morbidelli. Nakagami was four tenths further back on Saturday, with fellow rookies Xavier Simeon (Reale Avintia Racing) and Tom Lüthi (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) another half second in arrears.

    Behind Morbidelli, Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the fastest rider for Austrian factory KTM in P14, just over a second off Zarco at the top, with teammate Pol Espargaro still affected by injury. Espargaro did, however, get back on track on Day 3 after sitting it out on Friday, and the Spaniard was three tenths off his teammate.

    The man completing the top fifteen was Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), after an early foray much further up the timesheets. The elder Espargaro brother did a 1:55.232 on the last day, with the Noale factory having four 2018 RS-GPs in Qatar for the first time ahead of the first race of the year.

    Wet test time: riders checked out conditions under the floodlights and in the wet

    After the end of the dry track time, there was one last thing on the preseason agenda – a wet test. After everyone was back in pitlane, crews around the venue set about getting the track wet in order to test Losail both in the wet and under the floodlights. After another, shorter session in those different conditions, the curtain then came down on the preseason.

    So that’s it. Decisions are made, programmes worked through and components compared – so all that remains now is to race. But there’s not long to wait, with the Qatar GP getting underway on the 16th March.

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