VOL. 55 ISSUE 9 MARCH 6, 2018 P31
WILL THEY RACE
IN THE RAIN?
A
wet test held after the checkered flag, with
more than 60 water trucks spraying the 3.34-
mile Qatar track, proved inconclusive and brought
no firm answers to the crucial question: Will racing
be possible under floodlights should rain hit the
MotoGP opener?
While several riders, including Valentino Rossi,
Marc Marquez and Johann Zarco, said they were
ready to race if it was wet, Dorna's safety officer
Loris Capirossi told pressmen that opinions were
mixed, and, "I think we need another test on race
weekend before we can be sure."
One problem was the artificial conditions, with
some standing water, but no falling rain. "The re-
flections were not too bad, we need to understand
what would happen in proper rain, and also with
20 bikes together," Capirossi said.
In 2009, a heavy rainstorm just before the start
Maverick Vinales
splashes through
the Qatari water.
Dorna is still
undecided if the
race will go ahead
if it rains.
MARQUEZ
PRAISES ZARCO
M
otoGP World Champion Marc Marquez
paid the ultimate compliment to top
time-setter Johann Zarco, when he selected
him alongside Andrea Dovizioso as his main
title rivals for the coming season.
The defending champion was talking to
Spanish television, and while his remarks
might also have been intended as a psych-
out putdown to factory Yamaha riders Valen-
tino Rossi and Maverick Vinales, the French-
man was able to enjoy the moment.
"I think these guys are very clever," he
told Dorna's interviewer, "and they are often
right, so I hope it is right this time."
Michael Scott
Cool as a
cucumber: Johann
Zarco knows he's
in with a title shot
this year.
of the MotoGP race resulted in it being post-
poned by 24 hours; last year rain washed out
qualifying, and delayed a shortened MotoGP
race by 40 minutes.
Michael Scott
