Dovizioso edges out Marquez on second day of MotoGP testing in Qatar

Ducati’s dominance over the final MotoGP test of the year at the Losail International Circuit continued today with factory rider Andrea Dovizioso ending the day on top of the timing sheets while Marc Marquez was a close second and the Repsol Honda rider was followed closely into third place by the second factory Ducati in the hands of Andrea Iannone.

The second session got off to a similar start with Dovizioso and Iannone consistently in the top three but today it was Marquez who was at the front for the majority of the day but he was moved off the top with Dovizioso setting a fastest lap time of 1m 54.907s on his 33^rd of 38 laps. Marquez’s best time of 1m 55.091s was just .013s ahead of Iannone in third.

Movistar Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo made small improvements today although the Spaniard’s best lap of 1m 55.500s came in just his 15^th of 51 laps, this was in stark contrast to teammate Valentino Rossi who left it until his 50^th lap to set the 5ht best time of 1m 55.581s while Dani Pedrosa sits in 6^th today on the second of the Repsol Honda machines.

Cal Crutchlow once again showed good pace on board the CWM LCR Honda with the British rider continuing to grow in confidence on the factory machinery while his teammate Jack Miller ended his second day in 21^st in the Open Class. Crutchlow’s best time of 1m 55.624s was enough to see him ahead of his fellow countryman Bradley Smith on the Tech 3 YZR-M1 whose best lap of 1m 55.648s was .010s ahead of his teammate Pol Espargaro in 9^th and closing out the top ten today was AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham with a best time of 1m 55.765s.

Pramac Racing’s Yonny Hernandez was just outside the top ten with his best effort of 1m 55.772s while his teammate Danilo Petrucci didn’t fair so well with the Italian in 22^nd. Team Suzuki Ecstar’s second day sees teammates Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales in 12^th and 14^th respectively with just .015s separating them and in between is the Estrella Galicia 0.0 Marc VDS rider Scott Redding with his best lap of 1m 55.803s.

The Open Class this year is gearing up to be one of the closest and the Avintia Racing and Drive M7 Aspar teams were locked in battle today with Hector Barbera and Mike Di Meglio in 15^th and 17^th respectively while Nicky Hayden and rookie Eugene Laverty sit in 16^th and 18^th positions. Michele Pirro set the 19^th best lap today for the Ducati Test Team while Stefan Bradl and the Athina Forward Racing team rounds off the top 20following a crash early on for the German rider.

Bradl’s teammate Loris Baz ended day two in 23^rd position with his best time of 1m 56.936s enough to finish ahead of Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Alvaro Bautista while Octo Ioda Racing Team’s Alex e Angelis finished ahead of Marco Melandri and the second of the Aprilia machines in 26^th place.