optimistic. Talking of Yamaha's
new-for-this-year launch control,
he said, "It is good, but we need
some more work and data." The
same comment applied to the
bike in general.
Factory Ducati rider Danilo
Petrucci was sixth, with Pramac's
Jack Miller eighth, after a mix-up
with his crew meant he made his
time attack on a medium rather
than a soft tire. Miller had been
top Ducati on the first two days,
and pronounced himself, "overall
happy with the new bike."
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM)
was seventh, and factory tester
Dani Pedrosa just two places and
five hundredths slower on the
clearly improved V4. Satellite-
team rider Miguel Oliveira (also
a shoulder surgery victim) was
a strong 12th, and rookie Brad
Binder 19th, less than a second
down.
But these numbers might be
deceptive, with the big beasts not
yet showing their best. Repsol
Honda's Marc Marquez was only
13th and fell twice without exacer-
bating his weakened but recover-
ing right shoulder.
"The crash today was because
I did not have the strength as usu-
al. I am not riding like I want, just
pushing a lot with my left hand."
The other sleepers were An-
drea Dovizioso (Ducati) and Mav-
erick Vinales (Monster Yamaha),
15th and 16th overall, while Avintia
Ducati recruit Johann Zarco (on
a 2019 bike) was an interesting
17th, narrowly ahead of second
factory Honda rookie Alex Mar-
quez.
The abbreviated test season,
preceding the longest-ever
20-race season, continues at
Qatar in a fortnight, with the first
race another two weeks later on
March 8.
Michael Scott
Combined Results
1. Fabio Quartararo (Yam)
2. Cal Crutchlow (Hon)
3. Alex Rins (Suz)
4. Pecco Bagnaia (Duc)
5. Valentino Rossi (Yam)
IN
THE
WIND
P34
Aleix Espargaro
used the all-new
Aprilia to stay
consistently
inside the top 10.
