No more off-season speculation, no more private testing and its share of uncertainties, no more IRTA tests which were able to give us a first overview, no more delays in starting the official Hondas and Ducatis, and even an end to the a little rain yesterday which could have spoiled this first session of the year; everyone is now on an equal footing with new 17-inch tires, a unique box and software, 22 liters of gasoline for everyone, the sky is starry, the ideal temperatures (22° in the air/23° on the ground) and the show can begin for 45 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 2008 by Jorge Lorenzo on this Qatari track; 1'53.927.
Last year, pole position was taken by Andrea Dovizioso in 1'54.113. and, as a reminder, Valentino Rossi won the race ahead of the two official Ducatis.
The first ten minutes see everything first Jorge Lorenzo and a number of pilots set off in Soft/Soft combinations.
The Ducati, Andrea Iannone and Hector Barbera in the lead, are the first to go under 1.57, after only 10 minutes.
Marc Marquez then took command, in 1'56.315, before being immediately dethroned by Jorge Lorenzo, in 1'56.279. Dani Pedrosa is positioned 4th, which seems to confirm that the Honda's new settings are effective.
In the first third of the session, Jorge Lorenzo launched a first warning shot by achieving a 1.55.693, relegating everyone to more than 6 tenths. At this moment, only Marquez and Iannone are within the same second as the Yamaha rider.
Halfway through the session, Andrea Iannone lets the powder talk and gets closer to 4 hundredths of Jorge Lorenzo. Behind is the gap, with Barbera, Marquez, Dovizioso, Rossi, Vinales and Smith trailing by 6 tenths to more than a second. Things remain as they are until the end of this second run.
The final third first saw Rossi close to within a tenth of his teammate, thus relegating the leading Honda to 5th position. while Hector Barbera also goes under 1'56.
Pol Espargaro confirms the Yamaha's good form by reaching provisional 6th place.
The first and only fall of the session was due to Bradley Smith at turn #13 losing the front. Fortunately, Mister Smith gets up immediately.
In the final seconds, Jorge Lorenzo improved to 1'55.515 but Valentino Rossi followed him by 2 tenths.
Discreet until now, Maverick Vinales concludes 5th a session in which the Hondas appear to be struggling a little at the moment.
Loris Baz got the 13th time, 1,3 seconds behind the best time.
In the end, 10 drivers appear in the same second.
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