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Practice report

Qatar MotoGP: Iannone keeps Ducati on top in third practice

Andrea Iannone set a blistering pace in the third free practice session of the Qatar MotoGP weekend to beat Jorge Lorenzo and keep Ducati atop the timesheets.

Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team

Andrea Iannone, Ducati Team

Ducati Corse

It was Dani Pedrosa who was first to bust Iannone's best time from second practice, the Repsol Honda man setting a 1m55.357s that went unchallenged until the final 10 minutes.

Iannone's Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso then lowered the bar to a 1m55.239s, before Lorenzo snatched away the top spot with a time just 0.020s faster.

The reigning champion subsequently put his Yamaha a full 0.463s clear of the field on his next flying lap, a 1m54.776s, but moments later Iannone was able to respond with a 1m54.639s, a full seven tenths faster than his best from earlier in the day.

Lorenzo was thus forced to settle for second, with Marc Marquez slotting into third and ending up best of the Hondas, 0.196s off the pace.

Dovizioso made a late move to fourth at the expense of Suzuki rider Maverick Vinales, Pedrosa ending up being demoted to sixth at the chequered flag.

Valentino Rossi was seventh for Yamaha, 0.536s off the pace, with Hector Barbera (Avintia Ducati), Scott Redding - who crashed his Pramac Ducati at Turn 13 at the end of the session - and Pol Espargaro (Tech 3 Yamaha) rounding off the top 10.

Espargaro's teammate Bradley Smith suffered his second crash of the weekend at Turn 6, and, after setting only the 12th-best time, will have to battle his way through the first phase of qualifying on Saturday.

Jack Miller was the only other man to fall during the session, losing his Marc VDS Honda at Turn 9 late in the session on his way to the 17th best time.

Practice times:

PosRiderBikeTimeGap
1 ItalyAndrea Iannone  Ducati Desmosedici GP16 1:54.639 1:54.639
2 SpainJorge Lorenzo  Yamaha YZR-M1 1:54.776 +0.137
3 SpainMarc Marquez  Honda RC213V 1:54.835 +0.196
4 ItalyAndrea Dovizioso  Ducati Desmosedici GP16 1:54.945 +0.306
5 SpainMaverick Vinales  Suzuki GSX-RR 1:54.976 +0.337
6 SpainDani Pedrosa  Honda RC213V 1:55.113 +0.474
7 ItalyValentino Rossi  Yamaha YZR-M1 1:55.175 +0.536
8 SpainHector Barbera  Ducati Desmosedici GP14 1:55.323 +0.684
9 United KingdomScott Redding  Ducati Desmosedici GP15 1:55.399 +0.760
10 SpainPol Espargaro  Yamaha YZR-M1 1:55.476 +0.837
11 SpainAleix Espargaro  Suzuki GSX-RR 1:55.491 +0.852
12 United KingdomBradley Smith  Yamaha YZR-M1 1:55.505 +0.866
13 FranceLoris Baz  Ducati Desmosedici GP14 1:55.773 +1.134
14 ItalyDanilo Petrucci  Ducati Desmosedici GP15 1:55.931 +1.292
15 United KingdomCal Crutchlow  Honda RC213V 1:55.946 +1.307
16 ColombiaYonny Hernandez  Ducati Desmosedici GP14 1:56.100 +1.461
17 AustraliaJack Miller  Honda RC213V 1:56.207 +1.568
18 SpainTito Rabat  Honda RC213V 1:56.625 +1.986
19 SpainAlvaro Bautista  Aprilia RS-GP 1:56.749 +2.110
20 GermanyStefan Bradl  Aprilia RS-GP 1:57.069 +2.430
21 IrelandEugene Laverty  Ducati Desmosedici GP14 1:57.135 +2.496

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