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Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins and Joan Mir have gone first and second fastest on Day 1 of the MotoGP test at Qatar’s Losail International Circuit.
There were only 0.002s between the two Suzukis after Rins reclaimed first position from his team-mate with a 1:54.462s on his final lap of the evening.
Monster Energy Yamaha’s Maverick Viñales was 0.030s slower again having also held the lead during the last hour of the seven-hour day.
Fourth went to Danilo Petrucci on a Ducati Team bike with a 1:54.634s, while Franco Morbidelli put in a best of 1:54.700s for Petronas SRT Yamaha.
Last year’s world champion, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), took sixth, from Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha), Fabio Quartararo (Petronas SRT Yamaha), Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Ducati), and Aleix Espargaro (Gresini Aprilia).
Three more Ducati riders followed immediately outside the top 10, namely Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia), and Jack Miller (Pramac).
Miller appeared to be using a ride height adjuster, but Ducati Team Manager Davide Tardozzi would only tell MotoGP.com, “This is something that people are speaking about.
“It’s something that maybe could be on the bike.”
Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was 14th fastest, Cal Crutchlow (Castrol LCR Honda) ended up 19th, and Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda) was 21st with two crashes along the way.
Miller and Dovizioso also went down once each, although neither they nor Alex Marquez were hurt.
Testing continues today from 21:00 AEDT.
Pre-season testing: Losail: Day 1
| Pos | Num | Rider | Team | Bike | Time | Gap 1st/prev | Laps |
| 1 | 42 | Alex RINS | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 1:54.462 | 47 / 47 | |
| 2 | 36 | Joan MIR | Team SUZUKI ECSTAR | Suzuki | 1:54.464 | 0.002/0.002 | 51 / 54 |
| 3 | 12 | Maverick VIÑALES | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1:54.494 | 0.032/0.030 | 31 / 50 |
| 4 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1:54.634 | 0.172/0.140 | 41 / 41 |
| 5 | 21 | Franco MORBIDELLI | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 1:54.700 | 0.238/0.066 | 49 / 57 |
| 6 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1:54.823 | 0.361/0.123 | 28 / 42 |
| 7 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | Yamaha | 1:54.876 | 0.414/0.053 | 50 / 51 |
| 8 | 20 | Fabio QUARTARARO | Petronas Yamaha SRT | Yamaha | 1:55.074 | 0.612/0.198 | 43 / 56 |
| 9 | 63 | Francesco BAGNAIA | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1:55.204 | 0.742/0.130 | 50 / 56 |
| 10 | 41 | Aleix ESPARGARO | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1:55.268 | 0.806/0.064 | 21 / 41 |
| 11 | 04 | Andrea DOVIZIOSO | Ducati Team | Ducati | 1:55.308 | 0.846/0.040 | 32 / 43 |
| 12 | 5 | Johann ZARCO | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 1:55.360 | 0.898/0.052 | 55 / 63 |
| 13 | 43 | Jack MILLER | Pramac Racing | Ducati | 1:55.430 | 0.968/0.070 | 27 / 51 |
| 14 | 44 | Pol ESPARGARO | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1:55.449 | 0.987/0.019 | 26 / 43 |
| 15 | 30 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | LCR Honda IDEMITSU | Honda | 1:55.627 | 1.165/0.178 | 30 / 41 |
| 16 | 33 | Brad BINDER | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 1:55.644 | 1.182/0.017 | 50 / 53 |
| 17 | 53 | Tito RABAT | Reale Avintia Racing | Ducati | 1:55.707 | 1.245/0.063 | 51 / 60 |
| 18 | 88 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | Red Bull KTM Tech 3 | KTM | 1:55.737 | 1.275/0.030 | 42 / 42 |
| 19 | 35 | Cal CRUTCHLOW | LCR Honda CASTROL | Honda | 1:55.757 | 1.295/0.020 | 31 / 50 |
| 20 | 27 | Iker LECUONA | Red Bull KTM Tech 3 | KTM | 1:56.135 | 1.673/0.378 | 27 / 47 |
| 21 | 73 | Alex MARQUEZ | Repsol Honda Team | Honda | 1:56.552 | 2.090/0.417 | 45 / 57 |
| 22 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | Aprilia Racing Team Gresini | Aprilia | 1:57.027 | 2.565/0.475 | 43 / 54 |
