Heavy winds at the Losail International Circuit have disrupted the opening hours of the MotoGP™ shakedown test in Qatar, with Stefan Bradl’s (Repsol Honda Team) fastest time – a 1:58.427 – well over four seconds off Maverick Viñales’ (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) best time at last season’s Official Qatar Test.
The likes of Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Test Team), Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Sylvain Guintoli (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Michele Pirro (Ducati Test Team) have been on track, but the times are well off Bradl’s pace as the riders find it tough going in the current conditions. Crutchlow returns to the Yamaha fold and is sharing bikes with fellow test riders Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Kohta Nozane, as seen on the Live Timing – ‘Yamaha Test 1,’ ‘Yamaha Test 2’ and ‘Yamaha Test 3’.
Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Avintia) has had his first taste of MotoGP™ Ducati power, the rookie ventured out for three laps but didn’t set a competitive time. This was just before the red flags came out because of a broken air fence, nobody crashed, the fierce winds causing havoc and causing some damage. As the green flags came out, reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) began their MotoGP™ journeys by heading out of pitlane, the former thankfully able to get to Qatar after initially returning an inconclusive PCR test.
⚔ THE FIGTHER IS READY! ????
— Sky Racing Team VR46 (@SkyRacingTeam) March 5, 2021
All set for the #QatarTest and @Luca_Marini_97’s debut.#MotoGP season opens its doors. ????????#SkyVR46Avintia @esponsoramagp @motogp pic.twitter.com/jRXaAREhOa
Make sure you tune into After the Flag LIVE at 18:30 CET to get the full lowdown from the opening day of 2021 pre-season testing, and you can keep up to date with every lap with Live Timing.
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"IT WAS A FALSE POSITIVE" - XAUS RELAXED ABOUT BASTIANINI
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"IT'S THE PERFECT ROLE" - CRUTCHLOW READY FOR LIFE AT YAMAHA