A surface that is still dry despite a few drops falling after the Moto3 and a heavy sky, a fast track given the times achieved by the small cars, but a thermometer which already indicates almost 30 degrees this morning in Sepang: these are conditions capable of encouraging MotoGP riders not to waste time before setting their first milestones, in order to ensure a possible passage to Q2 if rain occurs this afternoon or tomorrow morning.
On this circuit comprising two long straights, the Ducatis are favorites and Marc Marquez will be titled if he does not concede more than 7 points to Andrea Dovizioso. As for Yamaha, we will have to wait for a session in the wet to know the level of competitiveness in these conditions.
The air is at 29°, the track at 30°, and here are the references available before this first MotoGP session in Malaysia:
|
#MalaysianGP MotoGP™ |
2016 |
2017 |
| FP1 |
2'01.210 Marc Marquez (See here) |
2'00.671 Andrea Dovizioso |
| FP2 |
2'08.872 Jack Miller (See here) |
|
| FP3 |
1'59.947 Maverick Vinales (See here) |
|
| FP4 |
2'11.713 Marc Marquez (See here) |
|
| Qualification 1 |
2'11.591 Cal Crutchlow (See here) |
|
| Qualification 2 |
2'11.485 Andrea Dovizioso (See here) |
|
| Warm Up |
2'01.146 Maverick Vinales (See here) |
|
| Course |
Dovizioso, Rossi, Lorenzo (See here) |
|
| All time lap record |
1'59.053 Dani Pedrosa 2015 (old coating) |
After the few drops of rain fell before the session, a few drivers took their time to set off on the track on slicks, with the exception ofAlex Rins and Johann zarco which come out with rain tires.
Here we go!#MotoGP FP1 gets the green light at the #MalaysianGP! pic.twitter.com/DkcsOUWsUS
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 27, 2017
After five minutes, the raindrops turned into light rain and the drivers got out on slicks, like Valentino Rossi, roll on eggshells before returning to the box.
Meanwhile, Johann zarco bears the first reference to 2'11.428 in front Alvaro Bautista et Hector Barbera. Among the tenors, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Maverick Vinales, Andrea Iannone, Dani Pedrosa et Danilo Petrucci are still in their box.
“Danilo…”
“Daniiiilo….”
“DANILO!” pic.twitter.com/2rotdGvbna
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 27, 2017
After 10 minutes, Alvaro Bautista recorded a 2'09.430 and Jorge Lorenzo took a lap on rain tires before returning, just as Jack Miller et Sam Lowes come out… in slicks!
The Australian driver also achieved the best provisional time, in 2'09.021, 2'07.194, then 2'05.774, proof that the track is drying again, and quickly!
Only 10 riders have completed a lap so far in this session due to the sketchy conditions… #MalaysianGP pic.twitter.com/iCEbwwCDc9
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 27, 2017
It's obviously some sort of signal, and the Pit Lane is once again filled with the noise of the MotoGP engines!
At mid-session, the hierarchy is made up of Redding, Miller, Pol Espargaro, Petrucci, Bautista, Barbera, Zarco, Baz et Abraham, but we know that all this will be turned upside down in the minutes to come...
Indeed, many sectors light up red and, after Redding, Barbera et Baptist have reached the top of the ranking, it is the turn of Marc Márquez and Johann zarco to do so, the Frenchman achieving a 2'02.841.
Marc Márquez continued his effort and managed a 2'01.609, 7 tenths ahead of the Tech3 driver.
At the start of the last 10 minutes, the Honda driver was almost the only one not to stop, despite a time down to 2'01.232. Behind him, Andrea Iannone, Hector Barbera, Álvaro Bautista et Jack Miller managed to get in front John Zarco et Valentino Rossi.
Vinales, Dovizioso et Pedrosa are then 15th, 17th and 18th, alex rins last at more than 7 seconds.
The Ducati leader then made his effort and jumped to second place, behind Marc Márquez which improved again in 2'00.950.
He is followed by Jorge Lorenzo et Johann zarco, before Cal Crutchlow does not place his Honda in second place.
In extremis, Alvaro Bautista takes the best time, but is beaten at the wire by Andrea Dovizioso, for 7 hundredths.
In the end and as expected, the Ducatis are there, but the Yamahas are really not far away!
But be careful Marc Marquez who dominated the majority of the session and did not seem to have stopped to change a second rear tire...
