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Raajiv Tripathi
DOHA
It must be a fabulous Friday for Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso. The Italian, who finished second in the last three races here, came up with a thrilling lap to top the second Free Practice of the Grand Prix of Qatar.
The 2017 world championship runner-up Dovizioso was the fastest rider in the FP1 and took over from defending champion Marc Marquez in the second FP at the Losail International Circuit.
But it was Spaniard Alex Rins who placed his Suzuki on the front but was replaced soon by Alma Pramac Racing's Danilo Petrucci.
Even as Petrucci looked like ending the dominance of Dovizioso, a couple of minutes from the end of the 45-minute practice under the lights, the latter struck back and clocked 1:54.361 to stay atop the second successive session with a tantalizingly close 0.006 gap.
The FP2 may serve as a prelude to season-opening race as the conditions would be nearly the same on Sunday and Dovizioso could be very pleased with the way he finished the day.
Dovizioso also led a 1-2 for Ducati as Petrucci was the top independent rider. The Team Suzuki Ecstar's rider Rin, who was 0.091 off Dovizioso, separated former triple world champion Jorge Lorenze from Petrucci.
Lorenzo, who won three of the last six races in Losail and has the circuit lap record to his name, clocked 1:54.81 in his 15th out of 16 laps. Rins' teammate Andrea Iannone turned out to be the fifth quickest of the session.
Marquez, third in the first FP behind Movistar Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, was the fastest on Honda, followed in the sixth spot by teammate Dani Pedrosa and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda CASTROL).
Rossi and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech3) were ninth and 10th. Maverick Vinales, the Movistar Yamaha star who won the Qatar round last year, was 11th and disappointed, asking for 'a lot of improvement in his bike.'
All the top 10 riders were under 1:55 and the top 14 are covered by a second, which assures more heated session on Saturday ahead of the Qualifying. The fastest 10 on the combined timesheets after the third Free Practice will move directly into the Qualifying 2.
Alex tops Moto2 FP2
Alex Marquez underlined his preparations for Saturday's Qualifying as he wrapped the first day of the opening Moto2 round in Losail with a 2:00.932 to take his Kalex to the top.
The EG O,O Marc VDS rider, fourth in FP1, posted his quickest lap in the 15th of his 17 circuits of the track, leading Great Britain's Sam Lowes narrowly by 0.038. Italian Francesco Bagnaia was the only the third rider to have dipped under 2:01.
Lowes, returning to the intermediate class after a year in the MotoGP, got his best time of 2:00.970 in the 19th lap. He leads the SKY Racing Team VR46's Bagnaia by 0.015. Bagnaia's quickest came in the fourth lap and he could not lower it despite some fine efforts.
German Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) maintained his spot among the fastest five. He was fourth with a 2:01.055 time, while Lorenzo Baldassarri, the Pons HP 40 rider, could not repeat his FP1 performance and fell from the top to fifth.
Miguel Oliviera, the Portuguese rider from Red Bull KTM Ajo, was sixth, dropping by several spots from FP1. He created sensation by winning three back-to-back races to close out the last season.
Isaac Vinales (SAG Team), Luca Marini (SKY Racing VR46), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and rookie Ramnao Fenati, the runner-up to 2017 Moto3 World champions Joan Mir, completed the top 10 in the class, promising to provide more heat to the proceedings on the morrow.
Moto3
Martin breaks Losail record
Strong Moto3 title contender Jorge Martin, third in the opening Free Practice, shot to the top of the timesheets in the second one with a new lap record. Increasing his pace commendably compared to the FP1, the Spaniard, third after being the pole rider in Losail last year, also led 1-2-3 for Honda in the lightweight class.
His 2:05.590 in the 14th lap bettered the 2014 mark of 2:05.862 by Alexis Masbou.
The Del Conca Gresini Moto3 rider clocked 2:06.929 early into the 40-minute session and improved it in his second visit before breaking the class lap record.
Late charge by Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and FP1 leader Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) fetched them the second and third quickest times. Still the duo is more than half a second behind the leader.
The rise of Italian Antonelli, one of the two most successful riders on the grid with three wins under his belt, was 20th in the first session.
Argentine Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider) was fourth in 2:06.422 and Martin's teammate Fabio di Giannantonio rounded out the top five, clocking his fastest 2:06,459 in his 11th of 12 laps. Aron Canet, who also has three wins, was ninth, seven places back from his FP1 efforts.
Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) broke his right hand in FP1 and was ruled unfit to continue, brining an unfortunate start to the season for the Japanese rider.
