Qatar: the final shakedown for MotoGP
It’s time for one last test ahead of lights out – at the venue that hosts the first Grand Prix of the season, Losail
Losail International Circuit in Qatar will soon be hosting the first race of 2018, but before the lights go out and the points are in play, there’s one last test. Three days kick off at the venue from the 1st to 3rd of March – the final shakedown and chance to get in gear for the season. It’s decision time.
So far in testing, Honda have been on a roll, with Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) joined by Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) in the upper echelons of the timesheets at both Sepang and Buriram. Added to positive comments from the riders, it all seems to be going well for the Japanese factory – but Qatar can sometimes prove more difficult, and they’ll be wanting to get as setup as possible for the race to attack from the off. With a few things to double check at a different venue, too – such as aero – it will be a full workload.
Over at Ducati, Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) set the quickest ever lap of the track in Sepang in the first test, but then find Buriram much tougher going. He’ll be raring to get back on track on the GP18 at another different venue – and Andrea Dovizioso, his teammate, will too. Both Lorenzo and 2017 runner-up ‘DesmoDovi’ have great records at the track, and they’ll be working on the final details for 2018 – including, yep, more aero investigations – as well as setting up for the first Sunday of the season.
Team Suzuki Ecstar also had aero to test at Buriram and despite early crashes for both riders, it’s all largely positive for the Hamamatsu factory so far and they have their sights set on the top five. Alex Rins, starting his sophomore season at full power after injury troubles last year, especially shone in Buriram, but teammate Andrea Iannone is always a threat on race day. And Red Bull KTM Factory Racing once again showed their progress in preseason so far – looking to mix it up with their fellow factories more often from the off. In Buriram it was Bradley Smith and Mika Kallio on track, but the injured Pol Espargaro should be back in action at Qatar.
Meanwhile at Yamaha, the test is another opportunity for the Iwata marque to figure out their issues before there are 25 points on the board. After initial good reports at Sepang, Thailand was more difficult and both Movistar Yamaha MotoGP riders Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi left the venue needing more track time in Qatar to try and work on their problems. Grip issues remain – with the electronics a key focus.