Viñales pips Dovizioso on Day 1 of Qatar test

Maverick Viñales has finished narrowly fastest on the opening day of the final pre-season MotoGP test in Qatar.

Movistar Yamaha’s Viñales finished 0.051s faster than Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, with Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone a further 0.003s further back.

Viñales jumped into top spot inside the final two hours of the session and remained there, having largely been outdone by team-mate Alex Rins in pre-season so far.

Dovizioso and then Iannone improved on their personal bests but fell just short of knocking off the 2017 Qatar MotoGP winner.

A similarly late effort from Johann Zarco saw the Tech3 Yamaha rider slot into fourth position ahead of Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), who was fastest prior to Viñales’ ascension.

Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) were sixth- seventh-fastest in a dead heat, while Danilo Petrucci was best Pramac Ducati rider in eighth.

After Honda dominated the Buriram test, LCR’s Cal Crutchlow and the Repsol-backed factory riders of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa filled ninth to 11th, the latter crashing twice during the day.

Jack Miller was 0.635s off the pace in 12th position on his Pramac Ducati, and LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami the fastest rookie in 14th.

Red Bell KTM’s Pol Espargaro, who ended the day in 19th, will be replaced by Mika Kallio on Day 2 as he continues to struggle with an injury incurred in a high-speed crash in Sepang.

The three-day test continues late tonight (AEDT).

Pre-season testing: Losail: Day 1