VOL. 56 ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 26, 2019 P43
Ducati). In Qatar, Fabio Quar-
tararo (Petronas Yamaha), third
on day two, was even faster to
place second on day three.
The final day's times were
faster for all the top riders except
Alex Rins, concentrating on race
pace. Even so, the Spaniard
slotted in to third overall on con-
solidated times.
Today's third spot belonged to
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda).
Valentino Rossi (Monster Ya-
maha) swooped up from 19th
yesterday to fourth today.
Another major improvement
came for Jorge Lorenzo. The
new Repsol Honda rider, who
carved better than a second off
his Sunday time to place fifth
today, was sixth overall.
The second Petronas Yamaha
rider, Franco Morbidelli, was up
to sixth today. He was a tenth
ahead of Pol Espargaro (Red
Bull KTM), with Takaaki Nakaga-
mi (LCR Honda), Danilo Petrucci
(Mission Winnow Ducati) and
Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Ducati)
completing the top 10.
Suzuki riders Rins and rookie
Joan Mir were next. As with
Rins, Ducati team leader Andrea
Dovizioso did not improve his
time. He concentrated (as did
other Desmosedici riders) on
race pace, and ended up 15th
on combined times.
Marquez led the crash list,
with two tumbles. Lorenzo also
fell late in the day as the dew
came down, appealing to race
officials for an earlier race time
in two weeks. Others to fall
included Johann Zarco, Cal
Crutchlow, Pecco Bagnaia, Tito
Rabat, Nakagami and Rins.
Michael Scott
1. Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) 1:54.208
2. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) +0.233
3. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) +0.385
4. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) +0.405
5. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) +0.443
6. Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team) +0.445
7. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) +0.452
8. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +0.562
9. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) +0.581
10. Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) +0.610
Marc Marquez rebounded from two crashes to finish up fourth. It could hardly
have been
worse for
Johann Zarco,
second to
last and 1.9
seconds off
the pace.
