Factory Ducati pair Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso topped the opening day of MotoGP testing in Qatar, separated by less than one one-hundredth of a second and two tenths faster than reigning champion Marc Marquez.
Iannone led the way on 1’55.265, which is three-quarters of a second off Marquez’ pole time from last year, with Dovizioso just 0.098s behind him. Ducati have brought both the GP14.3 and the GP15 to the desert circuit but will only run the new bike tomorrow.
Repsol Honda’s Marquez did lead for some of the day but was usurped by the Bologna bullets, finishing on a 1’55.554 just ahead of Aleix Espargaro on the Ecstar Suzuki in fourth. Espargaro lapped in 1’55.698 which was faster than Dani Pedrosa and both the Movistar Yamahas.
Pedrosa could only muster a 1’55.813 with Lorenzo 0.015 in arrears on his penulatimate lap while LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow bounced ahead of Valentino Rossi to end on a 1’55.837 to be a little over half a second off the pace.
Bradley Smith put his Monster Yamaha in ninth place, just 0.016 behind Rossi while Scott Redding has found some pace and rounded out the top ten on a 1’56.112.
More in a minute
