Ducati MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci set the pace in warm-up ahead of Sunday’s season-opening Qatar Grand Prix.
Petrucci hit the top of the times in the 20-minute session with an early lap of 1m55.464s, and then put himself beyond the reach of his rivals after improving to a 1m54.807s.
Reigning champion Marc Marquez saved his best lap until last, but the Honda man’s 1m54.864s effort fell 0.057s short of Petrucci’s benchmark.
The only other rider to breach the 1m55s mark was Suzuki’s Alex Rins on a 1m54.943s.
Poleman Maverick Vinales was fourth-fastest, just under three tenths off the pace on the best of the Yamahas, ahead of Franco Morbidelli’s satellite Petronas SRT bike.
Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) beat Ducati pair Andrea Dovizioso and Jack Miller to sixth, while Espargaro brothers Aleix (Aprilia) and Pol (KTM) ensured all six marques were represented in the top 10.
Valentino Rossi was 11th-fastest and 0.751s off the pace on the second works Yamaha ahead of a race he expects to be “difficult” from his starting slot of 14th.
Honda’s Jorge Lorenzo, who admitted he was in “pain everywhere” following two crashes on Saturday, ended warm-up down in 20th place, 1.7s off the pace.
Times to follow
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