Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea set the quickest time during the opening World Superbike free practice session at the Losail circuit, under the floodlights in Qatar.
The Northern Irishman set a 1’59.644, and was two tenths quicker than Kawasaki’s Loris Baz and Voltcom Suzuki’s Alex Lowes, who completed the top three with a respectable 1’59.974.
The Lincolnshire lad was hot on the pace throughout the 45 minute session, and even topped the sheets ahead of Rea and Aprilia’s Sylvain Guintoli, before Rea went one better.
Initially, it was Guintoli who set the pace with a 2’00.749 only to be ousted from the top spot on the timing-screens by Rea. The Northern Irishman went two tenths faster than the French rider with a 2’00.584, on the thirty minute mark.
But then Guintoli upped the pace then Rea did exactly the same - putting down a 2’00.362, with five minutes remaining. Then from out of no where Lowes came flying down the home straight and clocked a 2’00.306, only for Guintoli to get his own back, going 0.2 seconds quicker.
But the Derby-based rider battled back and was the first rider to reach 1.59, only for Rea to edge ahead of his fellow compatriot to re-gain his place at the top of the sheets.
At the flag Baz decided that he wanted to join the party and a 1’59.831 was quick enough for him to go second fastest, with Lowes demoted to third.
Elsewhere Guintoli finished the opening session in fourth, with Voltcom Suzuki’s Eugene Laverty completing the top five with a 2’00.219, with Melandri in close succession.
Title challenger, Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes finished just inside the top ten on the timesheets, in ninth after his best rotation of a 2’00.796, with Pata Honda’s Leon Haslam rounding up the top ten – with a 2’01.041.
Ducati’s Chaz Davies failed to make it into the top ten times and had to settle for twelfth. The Welshman put down a 2’01.489 at the end of the 45 minute outing.
