The MotoGP class were first to take to the track on the second day of proceedings at the Losail International Circuit as they only completed one session of Free Practice on day one. Taking to a dirty track as the sun began to set at the Qatar circuit, the riders immediately made their way out of the pits destined to do well ahead of the season opener.
Two practice sessions on day two for the MotoGP class
The opening few laps was a chance to clean the track as, with it being situated in the desert, and sand tends to collect although the artificial grass does collect as much as possible. Immediately, Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha), the quickest man on day one, was the first to make his way to the top again, however he was soon knocked off by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), and then rookie Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), as they tried to return to the pace from day one.
Vinales crashes in the early stages
Within 10 minutes, Vinales was already lapping at low 1:55 minute laps, whilst the remaining riders were only able to complete Personal best times behind him. Marquez was pushing, at one point as he tried to complete a flying lap he ran over the curb. Moments later, Vinales crashed out at turn four of the track, the front end tucked under as he peeled into the right hand turn; the Spaniard was straight to his feet with the momentum of the crash, and got a lift back to the pits as his bike slid out with sparks flying everywhere.
With less than 13 minutes to go, Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso picked up the pace on soft tyres and managed to lap quicker during the first two sectors. He only completed a personal best time during sector three and although he caught up Vinales on the leaderboard significantly, he still could not match the Spaniard’s time.
Rossi highlights his speed during first half of lap
A few minutes later, nine times world champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) made his presence felt on track as he was next to flash two sectors. However, he caught Karel Abraham (Pull & Bear Aspar) who made him lose time in sector three so he only completed a personal best time in the third sector, but was able to move up the leader board with the final time. Ahead of him was Alvaro Bautista (Pull & Bear Aspar) who was also fast during the second sector and lost time in the third.
With less than five minutes to go a flurry of fast laps flew in that finally beat the time set earlier on by Vinales. First MotoGP rookie, Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) went top, then his teammate Jonas Folger overtook him, before Dovizioso pushed them both down. British rider Scott Redding had also found his pace on the Octo Pramac Ducati Desmosedici GP16 however and managed to top them all.
Redding quickest at the end of Free Practice 2
As the session drew to a close, the four continued to compete for the top spot which Redding emerging successful. The flag went out and those who had crossed the line in time had one more chance to try and beat the Brit, however his time of 1:55.085 was enough to gain him P1 by the end of FP2.
Dovizioso ended up second quickest ahead of the rookie Tech 3 riders Folger and Zarco in third and fourth. Vinales ended the second session as the fifth quickest. Rossi had managed to work his way up to sixth ahead of Bautista, Lorenzo and Marquez, and Aleix Espargaro completed the top ten on his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini RS-GP. Although the times were not as quick as FP1, the top 5 riders were covered by less than one second.
As he completed his final lap, French Reale Avintia Ducati rider, Loris Baz, appeared to struggle his Ducati as he was seen continuing straight on at the end of the start-finish straight. He was able to recover well however and returned to the pits in one piece.
Free Practice 3 gets underway as weather worsens
The MotoGP class were keen to return to the track when allowed to do so as rain threatened in Qatar. Determined, they worked to return to the previous pace set earlier on. Lorenzo was pushing so hard he ran wide and travelled over the rumble strips; he was shaking his head in frustration at his mistake.
Moments later Zarco took an alternative line to the rest of the group he was part of on track and ran wide into the run-off area. Unfortunately for Bradley Smith on the new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team efforts, he was forced off the track also, spoiling his momentum. Fortunately both riders escaped any further incident.
Several fallers during FP3
Almost 10 minutes of the session had passed, Danilo Petrucci who has the 2017 evolution of the Desmosedici with the Octo Pramac Racing team, crashed out at turn 10 of the track. After experiencing ‘chatter’ at the front end, where the tyre causes quick compression and decompression of the front forks under heavy breaking, the front end eventually tucked under causing him to crash out; h appeared unhurt as he tried to rescue his bike that was un-rideable.
Moments later, Folger made a very messy entry as he approached turn four. The German rider came off and both he and the bike tumbled into the gravel. He was able to get up straight away and return to his bike that he was able to return to the pits on after assistance from the track side marshalls.
Unusual incident for Redding
Redding’s was then seen cruising with a damaged bike. The Brit hadn’t fallen down though instead the fairing on the left hand side (from the riders’ view) of the bike came loose and was forced to bend up hitting him on the side. The fairing remained attached as he quickly pulled off track so he was not on the racing line and he nursed the Ducati GP16 back to the pits.
After returning to the track from the pits midway through the session, Marquez was seen running wide at turn one as he made a mistake as he ended the start-finish straight, and having to use the excess track available to avoid crashing. Minutes later, Loris Baz also ran off further round the track and he too was able to rescue it.
Wind picks up but doesn’t stop the push
As it got later into the evening at Qatar the weather continued to change. As it did the night before, the wind picked up causing the riders more difficulties on track however it did not stop them from pushing. The riders continued chasing their own personal best times, and although no one was able to get near the time set by Vinales, changes occurred below the times set by him.
The riders used the final Free Practice session of the day to experiment with tyres. With less than three minutes to go, Redding came off at turn two of the track. A corner that caught many riders out the day before, the front end tucked and he tumbled out, the Ducati damaging itself in the gravel.
Moments later, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) also came off at the notorious turn causing the Brit to tumble and the airbags in his leathers to go off. The momentum of the crash saw him land on his feet when he stopped; he was left looking shocked in the gravel but also appeared unhurt.
Late flurry of laps as efforts to remain in the top 10
In true Free Practice 3 fashion, as the top 10 riders from the session automatically progress through to Qualifying 2 the following day, there was a late flurry of laps as they did what they could to reduce their times to remain near the top of the leaderboard.
Vinales remained on top of the timesheets with his fastest time of 1:54.834. Although it was almost half a second slower than his previous time, it was enough to put him ahead prior to Qualifying. A fantastic flying lap from Andrea Iannone on his new Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR secured Vinales’ former teammate second; his time of 1:54.848 was just 0.014 seconds slower.
Free Practice 3 results
MotoGP rookie Zarco was third quickest as he also completed a fantastic lap in the latter stages. Dovizioso was fourth ahead of Pedrosa in fifth who was able to turn things around towards the end after spending most of the day further down the ranks. Despite his crash, Crutchlow remained sixth quickest as the highest place Honda as his time beat Marquez’s previous time too and the five times world champion was pushed down to seventh.
Petrucci was the second highest placed Ducati in eighth ahead of a frustrated Lorenzo in ninth and Aleix Espargaro completed the top 10 during FP3.
Combined times confirms top ten to progress to Qualifying 2
However, combining the times from the three sessions meant different results ahead of qualifying. Vinales remained quickest with his time from FP1 ahead of Iannone in second due to his late lap, and Marquez in third because of his quick time during FP1.
Zarco was the fastest rookie in fourth ahead of Dovizioso as their FP3 lap times were enough to secure them the places. Redding’s great finish to the start of the evening was enough to secure him sixth in the rankings. Pedrosa’s late lap meant he finished in seventh.
Late crashers Folger and Crutchlow remained in the top 10 due to Folger’s FP2 time and Crutchlow’s FP3 time, ahead of Rossi who completed the list; his final attempts weren’t enough to help him improve on his time from FP2 that helped to secure him the place.
Petrucci and Lorenzo miss out on the top 10
Just outside the top 10, and having to contend for the top two spots in Qualifying 1 was Petrucci and Lorenzo in 11th and 12th. The two both set their quickest times during FP3 but will have to duplicate it on day three to ensure progressing further. Bautista’s FP2 time and Baz’s time from FP1 meant he was 14th by the end of day two and Aleix Espargaro ended in 14th overall.
Their times from FP2 meant that Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), Abraham, rookie Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) finished in positions 16 to 19 ahead of Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) in 20th as he couldn’t; improve on his time set during FP1. MotoGP rookie Sam Lowes set his fastest time with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini during FP3 leaving him 20th.
Completing the timesheets in the final two positions were Pol Espargaro and Smith on the new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team machinery. After they made their debut at the season finale in Valencia, their project is about to get officially underway. For Espargaro, he set his best time during FP2, and late improvements from Smith in the final session complete his best time of the round so far.