Marquez rockets to the top with Qatar MotoGP lap record

Full FP2 results at Qatar MotoGP

Marc Marquez has produced a new lap record at the Losail International Circuit to top the second practice session ahead of the 2019 MotoGP opener in Qatar.

With a frantic final 10 minutes of FP2 as riders attempted to lockdown a top 10 spot ahead of qualifying, in order to provisionally book an automatic Q2 spot, Marquez revealed the true pace of the 2019-specification of the Repsol Honda with a 1m 53.380s to set a new lap record at the Qatar circuit.

Marquez benefitted from following Monster Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales during his lap record, with Vinales putting himself second on the times with a 1m 53.854s, to see the reigning MotoGP world champion lead by almost half a second after day one at the season opener.

Jack Miller caught the eye by bolting to third place on the times for Pramac Ducati ahead of factory Ducati rider Danilo Petrucci and MotoGP debutant Fabio Quartararo, who put his Petronas Sepang Yamaha inside the top five having already impressed with second place on the combined times at the pre-season test two weeks ago.

Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso slotted into sixth place having also gone for a late fast lap, with Franco Morbidelli recovering from a fast mid-session fall at Turn 1 to take seventh place on the Petronas Yamaha.

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Alex Rins produced a final lap flyer on the Suzuki to pinch a top 10 spot in eighth place, which shuffled Jorge Lorenzo out of the Q2 places, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) ninth and Joan Mir (Suzuki) 10^th.

Lorenzo, who claimed second place in FP1 ahead of his Repsol Honda race debut, struggled to replicate the same gains his rivals found in the second session in the qualifying-style runs and could only manage 11^th place ahead of LCR Honda duo Takaaki Nakagami and Cal Crutchlow.

Pramac Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia took 14^th place ahead of Tito Rabat (Avintia Ducati) and Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM).

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FP1’s timesheet leader Valentino Rossi ended Friday down in 17^th place having failed to improve on his opening practice pace for Monster Yamaha.

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