Offseason tests – MotoGP test in Qatar – D1: Viñales opens hostilities –

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MotoGP test in Qatar – D1: Viñales opens hostilities

Offseason tests - MotoGP test in Qatar - D1: Viñales opens hostilities -

At the end of the first of three days of MotoGP testing in Qatar, it was finally Maverick Viñales who was the fastest yesterday: the official Yamaha rider is ahead of time Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) and Andrea Iannone (Suzuki ) while Johann Zarco (Yamaha Tech3) sets the fourth fastest time, 13 hundredths behind the leader ahead of Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati). Debriefing.

Modest eighth overall in mid-February, Maverick Viñales takes back the handlebars with more ease on the Losail circuit, where the last tests are held for three days before the very first race of the season on March 18.

  • Valencia (Spain) offseason test :
  • Offseason test in Sepang (Malaysia) :
  • Offseason test in Buriram (Thailand) :

“In Thailand we did not feel confident enough to attack,” explains the n ° 25, welcoming the progress made in this area. “At first I was not comfortable with the bike, but after trying different settings I felt better. I was able to load more on the front and little by little the lap times went down. ‘having the best bike possible and started to feel more and more comfortable every time I hit the track. On the last run I did a lot of laps focusing on my riding style and it went well. The bike is very regular and I was able to have a good level of driving, but there is still work to be done on the speed of passage in the curve, the setting on the angle and the acceleration ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP test in Qatar - D1: Viñales opens hostilities -

This first day was also "not so bad and even rather good" for his teammate Valentino Rossi (7th), who also feels more at ease than in Thailand: "we are always very close to the other pilots and in the end I’m seventh. It’s not fantastic, but I feel better on this circuit ".

"From the start, I felt more at ease than in Thailand ()", continues the Doctor: "I think I was rather competitive in Sepang (), then we had problems in Thailand and here in Qatar the situation is closer to Sepang, fortunately! It seems that again this year things could change drastically from one circuit to another, as it depends a lot on how you manage to get the tires to work. we will have to endure, sometimes we will be stronger ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP test in Qatar - D1: Viñales opens hostilities -

For Andrea Dovizioso, second fastest only 51 thousandths behind Viñales, this first day was "positive". The Ducati official, second in the 2017 World Championship, carried out "several important tests on the fairings" before focusing "on the settings, but the conditions were not ideal as there was not a lot of grip. Overall the lap times went down quite easily, but we still have a lot of work to do and even if my feeling with the bike is good, we now need to fine-tune it for the race ".

Fifth time on this first day 37 hundredths behind the leader, his teammate Jorge Lorenzo is delighted to have had a good feeling with his bike, "in any case much better than in Thailand (). We managed to set a good lap time , but we still have to work on our pace and that will be our objective for the second day. We will have to take advantage of this day to improve the settings of the bike and be more regular ".

The two Ducati officials spent most of the day "comparing the different aerodynamic configurations available to them" and "testing new parts on the 2018 version of their Desmosedici GP", the team said..

At Suzuki, Andrea Iannone, third of this first day, explains that "the feeling with the bike is very good, especially at the front".

Offseason tests - MotoGP test in Qatar - D1: Viñales opens hostilities -

While he had "struggled with the front in previous tests", the official Suzuki rider assures us that here "we could attack really hard. In addition, I was comfortable with the new tires, this which was not the case on previous tests. The bike takes turns really well so I’m very happy. We worked well, even if we still have to improve the general feeling, especially on the changes of direction under braking ".

For his part, Johann Zarco "waited for good conditions to take the handlebars", but "even when I started riding around 4pm it was very slippery and you had to struggle a bit. Honestly, we took wrong directions but we quickly understood that we had to go back to what we knew, with better tires ".

Offseason tests - MotoGP test in Qatar - D1: Viñales opens hostilities -

"I quickly found a correct rhythm, even if it was complicated because the rear tire wore very quickly compared to the last circuit we were on", continues the French driver who does not feel the year next. "So you really have to adapt your handling in the first few laps, then keep a high speed when the tire starts to slide. But overall it seems that you are competitive, which is the main thing and it’s good for confidence. ".

The result is however more mixed for the HRC pilots Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa, respectively 10th and 11th on this first day..

Offseason tests - MotoGP test in Qatar - D1: Viñales opens hostilities -

"Today we started our test in Qatar by looking for a basic setting and focusing on electronics", relativizes the reigning world champion. "At the start the engine was a little aggressive, but we managed to change the settings to soften it a bit. We have to improve further, but for the first day it was good. We know that it is a trail a little more demanding for us compared to the others, but I had fun and we are not that far either ".

Having gone wrong twice for reasons that cannot be fully explained, his teammate who had put in preferred to stop the charges after only 37 laps. "But apart from that, the feeling with the bike was pretty good and I was able to maintain a good pace", consoles "Pedro" who will need to "turn more to find the best general setting before going into details".

Offseason tests - MotoGP test in Qatar - D1: Viñales opens hostilities -

The first Honda rider of this inaugural day is therefore Cal Crutchlow, 9th on the LCR team’s satellite RCV, half a second from Viñales and one breath away from Danilo Petrucci on the Alma Pramac team’s Ducati satellite..

"I was fast from the start and it was important to be immediately in the game", emphasizes Petrux: "I am very satisfied with the behavior of my bike which has changed a little bit compared to the tests in Malaysia and Thailand. Tomorrow (today, Editor’s note) we will work on the new fairings. We just need to know which configuration to choose, then on the third day we will do a race simulation ".

"I am very happy with today’s test," said the Briton for his part. "I feel good on the bike and the team did a good job. It’s a tricky track here at night at times, but the track didn’t look that bad today. We have completed our test program of the day and we are happy with the way it went ".

The drivers are back on the track today for the second day of testing: stay tuned !

Ranking of the first day of MotoGP testing in Qatar

  1. VIÑALES, Maverick Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1: 55.053
  2. DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Ducati Team 1: 55.104
  3. IANNONE, Andrea Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1: 55.107
  4. ZARCO, Johann Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1: 55.186
  5. LORENZO, Jorge Ducati Team 1: 55.423
  6. RINS, Alex Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1: 55.432
  7. ROSSI, Valentino Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1: 55.432
  8. PETRUCCI, Danilo Alma Pramac Racing 1: 55.528
  9. CRUTCHLOW, Cal LCR Honda CASTROL 1: 55.536
  10. MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 1: 55.545
  11. PEDROSA, Dani Repsol Honda Team 1: 55.555
  12. MILLER, Jack Alma Pramac Racing 1: 55.688
  13. BAUTISTA, Alvaro Ángel Nieto Team 1: 55.848
  14. NAKAGAMI, Takaaki LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1: 55.853
  15. REDDING, Scott Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1: 55.931
  16. RABAT, Tito Reale Avintia Racing 1: 56.029
  17. ESPARGARO, Aleix Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1: 56.062
  18. ABRAHAM, Karel Ángel Nieto Team 1: 56.268
  19. ESPARGARO, Pol Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1: 56.275
  20. SMITH, Bradley Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1: 56.421
  21. MORBIDELLI, Franco EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1: 56.608
  22. SYAHRIN, Hafizh Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1: 56.731
  23. LUTHI, Thomas EG 0,0 Marc VDS 1: 57.292
  24. SIMEON, Xavier Reale Avintia Racing 1: 57.713

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