No more off-season calculations, no more private tests and their share of uncertainties, no more IRTA tests which were able to give us a first overview, no more uncertain engines and abundant tires for some, and even no more light rain from yesterday which could have spoiled this first session of the year; everyone is now equal, the sky is starry, the temperatures are ideal (25/25) and the show can begin for 40 minutes of warming up!
Despite the first laps which we expect to be cautious due to a possible rise of hydrocarbons due to the intermittent rain yesterday, we will keep in mind the record established in 2014 by Alexis Masbou on this Qatari track, in 2 '05.862.
Last year, pole position was acquired by the driver from Albi in 2'06.170. and, as a reminder, he also won the race, which will undoubtedly be more difficult for him this year.
The first ten minutes saw Gabriel Rodrigo then Niccolo Antonelli, fastest in IRTA testing and then second, fall without gravity at turn #2. A first milestone was set by Jorge Navarro in 2'07.261 at the end of this first run, ahead of Antonelli, Oettl, Fenati and Herrera who lined up well at the start, after a tumultuous winter.
At this moment, the Leopard drivers including Fabio Quartararo have not yet taken to the track, Jules Danilo is 16th and Alexis Masbou 23rd.
The second run saw the Leopard riders take to the track riding together while Brad Binder hoisted his official Ktm into second position halfway through the session.
Five minutes later, Enea Bastianini and Fabio Quartararo entered the Top 10 while Jorge Navarro's best time was still stable.
At the start of the last 10 minutes, Andrea Locatelli made a mistake, still in turn #2, and, on the Rookie side, we observed the good debut of Bo Bendsneyder (8th), Pawi (11th) and Nicolo Bulega (12th) .
The final race saw Jorge Navarro improve his time to 2'06.538 but it was Livio Loi who was the fastest, for a tenth better: 2'06.456!
Bulega, 3rd, confirms the hopes placed in him by his boss Valentino Rossi.
Maria Herrera also pleases all those who support her, by taking provisional 4th place, quickly dethroned by the Rookie of the Honda Asia team, Khairul Idham Pawi.
Alexis Masbou finished in 16th position, Fabio Quartararo 18th and Jules Danilo 22nd.
.
.
Pos | number | Pile | Country | Team | Motorcycle | Km / h | Temps | difference1st/Prev. |
1 | 11 | Livio LOI | BEL | RW Racing GP B.V | Honda | 229.4 | 2'06.456 | |
2 | 9 | Jorge NAVARRO | SPA | Galicia Star 0,0 | Honda | 222.7 | 2'06.538 | 0.082 / 0.082 |
3 | 8 | Nicholas BULEGA | ITA | Sky Racing Team VR46 | KTM | 225.0 | 2'07.108 | 0.652 / 0.570 |
4 | 16 | Andrea MIGNO | ITA | Sky Racing Team VR46 | KTM | 222.7 | 2'07.207 | 0.751 / 0.099 |
5 | 5 | Roman FENATI | ITA | Sky Racing Team VR46 | KTM | 225.3 | 2'07.254 | 0.798 / 0.047 |
6 | 41 | Brad BINDER | RSA | Red Bull KTM Garlic | KTM | 226.8 | 2'07.343 | 0.887 / 0.089 |
7 | 6 | Maria HERRERA | SPA | MH6 Laglisse | KTM | 230.3 | 2'07.490 | 1.034 / 0.147 |
8 | 89 | Khairul Idham PAWI | MAL | Honda Team Asia | Honda | 221.4 | 2'07.490 | 1.034 |
9 | 84 | Jakub KORNFEIL | CZE | Drive M7 SIC Racing Team | Honda | 230.5 | 2'07.530 | 1.074 / 0.040 |
10 | 23 | Niccolo ANTONELLI | ITA | Ongetta-Rivacold | Honda | 218.1 | 2'07.674 | 1.218 / 0.144 |
11 | 33 | Enea BASTIANINI | ITA | Gresini Racing Moto3 | Honda | 224.5 | 2'07.717 | 1.261 / 0.043 |
12 | 55 | Andrea LOCATELLI | ITA | Leopard Racing | KTM | 219.1 | 2'07.733 | 1.277 / 0.016 |
13 | 21 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | ASPAR Mahindra Team Moto3 | Mahindra | 221.2 | 2'07.850 | 1.394 / 0.117 |
14 | 65 | Philipp OETTL | GER | Schedl GP Racing | KTM | 221.6 | 2'07.862 | 1.406 / 0.012 |
15 | 64 | Bo BENDSNEYDER | NED | Red Bull KTM Garlic | KTM | 221.6 | 2'07.885 | 1.429 / 0.023 |
16 | 10 | Alexis MASBOU | FRA | Peugeot MC Saxoprint | Peugeot | 225.5 | 2'07.920 | 1.464 / 0.035 |
17 | 44 | Aaron CANET | SPA | Galicia Star 0,0 | Honda | 220.2 | 2'07.959 | 1.503 / 0.039 |
18 | 20 | Fabio QUARTARARO | FRA | Leopard Racing | KTM | 223.5 | 2'07.987 | 1.531 / 0.028 |
19 | 98 | Karel HANIKA | CZE | Platinum Bay Real Estate | Mahindra | 216.6 | 2'08.008 | 1.552 / 0.021 |
20 | 7 | Adam NORRODIN | MAL | Drive M7 SIC Racing Team | Honda | 227.9 | 2'08.045 | 1.589 / 0.037 |
21 | 36 | Joan Mir | SPA | Leopard Racing | KTM | 221.4 | 2'08.083 | 1.627 / 0.038 |
22 | 95 | Jules DANILO | FRA | Ongetta-Rivacold | Honda | 229.2 | 2'08.155 | 1.699 / 0.072 |
23 | 19 | Gabriel RODRIGO | ARG | RBA Racing Team | KTM | 223.3 | 2'08.193 | 1.737 / 0.038 |
24 | 88 | Jorge MARTIN | SPA | ASPAR Mahindra Team Moto3 | Mahindra | 228.0 | 2'08.297 | 1.841 / 0.104 |
25 | 40 | Darryn BINDER | RSA | Platinum Bay Real Estate | Mahindra | 220.6 | 2'08.353 | 1.897 / 0.056 |
26 | 58 | Juanfran GUEVARA | SPA | RBA Racing Team | KTM | 228.3 | 2'08.361 | 1.905 / 0.008 |
27 | 4 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO | ITA | Gresini Racing Moto3 | Honda | 222.5 | 2'08.813 | 2.357 / 0.452 |
28 | 24 | Tatsuki SUZUKI | JPN | CIP-Unicom Starker | Mahindra | 221.4 | 2'09.011 | 2.555 / 0.198 |
29 | 17 | John MCPHEE | GBR | Peugeot MC Saxoprint | Peugeot | 219.6 | 2'09.145 | 2.689 / 0.134 |
30 | 76 | Hiroki ONO | JPN | Honda Team Asia | Honda | 226.5 | 2'09.260 | 2.804 / 0.115 |
31 | 43 | Stefano VALTULINI | ITA | 3570 Team Italy | Mahindra | 221.9 | 2'09.439 | 2.983 / 0.179 |
32 | 77 | Lorenzo PETRARCA | ITA | 3570 Team Italy | Mahindra | 216.0 | 2'10.063 | 3.607 / 0.624 |