MotoGP Preseason Day 2: Rins top

Alex Rins
Alex Rins

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) went one better on Sunday as the Spaniard put in a 1:54.593 to go fastest on Day 2, but it remained tight at the top as the tables turned and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) ended the day just 0.057 in arrears. That made some headlines in itself, but the man in third stole some too: rookie Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) stormed to third overall.

47 laps was the final number for Rins as the Suzuki man continued to look like a serious 2019 contender. His teammate, rookie Joan Mir, also impressed and put in a 1:55.280 to end Sunday in P11 and less than seven tenths off his teammate – as well as the second quickest rookie. Team Manager Davide Brivio said Mir was also testing some things, as well as adapting to the bike, but that he’d like to “race tomorrow" looking at Rins’ pace. That bodes well, and the Hamamatsu factory man also said everything “visible" on the bike is decided.

Qatar Test Day Two

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 RINS Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1'54.593
2 VINALES Maverick 12 SPA Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.057
3 QUARTARARO Fabio 20 FRA Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha 0.315
4 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA Mission Winnow Ducati Ducati 0.360
5 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.411
6 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 0.580
7 NAKAGAMI Takaaki 30 JPN LCR Honda Honda 0.582
8 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA Mission Winnow Ducati Ducati 0.612
9 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR LCR Honda Honda 0.654
10 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 0.662
11 MIR Joan 36 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 0.687
12 MILLER Jack 43 AUS Alma Pramac Racing Ducati 0.787
13 MORBIDELLI Franco 21 ITA Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha 0.963
14 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 1.011
15 RABAT Tito 53 SPA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1.068
16 BAGNAIA Francesco 63 ITA Alma Pramac Racing Ducati 1.087
17 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 1.105
18 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.123
19 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1.149
20 ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1.358
21 OLIVEIRA Miguel 88 POR Red Bull KTM Tech 3 KTM 1.681
22 SMITH Bradley 38 GBR Aprilia Racing Test Team Aprilia 2.273
23 SYAHRIN Hafizh 55 MAL Red Bull KTM Tech 3 KTM 2.390