DOHA (Qatar): Ducati Lenovo team dominated proceedings in the second MotoGP free practice session ahead of the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar at the Losail International Circuit, with Jack Miller fastest ahead of team-mate Francesco Bagnaia.
The Australian picked up where he left off in testing. Miller’s 1:53.387 was just 0.007s away from the all-time lap record, and teammate Francesco Bagnaia made it a Borgo Panigale factory 1-2.
An infinitesimal 0.035s split the two red machines, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) completing the top three after ending the day 0.188 off Miller.
After a scorching FP1 was completed earlier in the day, the Losail floodlights were switched on for FP2 and Miller, Bagnaia, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) all almost immediately set laptimes quicker than Franco Morbidelli’s (Petronas Yamaha SRT) FP1 pace.
Espargaro was the first rider to venture into the 1:53s under the evening lights and briefly went an incredible seven tenths clear, before Rins then cut the deficit to just under half a second.
It then fell a little quieter at the top but with just under 15 minutes to go on the opening day, Quartararo slotted into within a tenth of Espargaro to make it four manufacturers in the top four: Aprilia, Yamaha, Ducati, and Suzuki.
Top 10 combined Day 1:
1. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:53.387
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.035
3. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.188
4. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 0.199
5. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.236
6. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.252
7. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.289
8. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) + 0.340
9. Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.487
10. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.514
