Marquez leads Qatar Friday practice with record pace

Marquez buries field on Friday
Marquez buries field on Friday

A blistering 1’53.380 lap from Marquez saw the reigning MotoGP World Champion quickest as new team-mate Lorenzo continued to improve his feeling with the Honda.

Friday in Qatar marked not only the beginning of the Qatar Grand Prix, but also the eagerly awaited return of the MotoGP World Championship after a long winter. With Free Practice 1 taking place during the day and Free Practice 2 running at night, the latter offered conditions most similar to Sunday’s race with 21ºC track and air temperature.

The opening day of practice for the 2019 MotoGP World Championship saw Marc Marquez fast from his first lap. Concluding Free Practice 1 in third, he and his Honda RC213V produced a stunning 1’53.380 under the lights of Free Practice 2 – three tenths faster than the previous all time lap record.

Friday Results

Pos.

Rider

Num

Nation

Team

Constructor

Time/Gap

1

Marquez Marc

93

SPA

Repsol Honda Team

Honda

1'53.380

2

Vinales Maverick

12

SPA

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Yamaha

0.474

3

Miller Jack

43

AUS

Alma Pramac Racing

Ducati

0.528

4

Petrucci Danilo

9

ITA

Mission Winnow Ducati

Ducati

0.673

5

Quartararo Fabio

20

FRA

Petronas Yamaha SRT

Yamaha

0.774

6

Dovizioso Andrea

4

ITA

Mission Winnow Ducati

Ducati

0.876

7

Morbidelli Franco

21

ITA

Petronas Yamaha SRT

Yamaha

0.895

8

Rins Alex

42

SPA

Team Suzuki Ecstar

Suzuki

0.940

9

Espargaro Aleix

41

SPA

Aprilia Racing Team Gresini

Aprilia

0.987

10

Mir Joan

36

SPA

Team Suzuki Ecstar

Suzuki

1.022

11

Lorenzo Jorge

99

SPA

Repsol Honda Team

Honda

1.048

12

Nakagami Takaaki

30

JPN

LCR Honda

Honda

1.064

13

Crutchlow Cal

35

GBR

LCR Honda

Honda

1.072

14

Bagnaia Francesco

63

ITA

Alma Pramac Racing

Ducati

1.421

15

Rabat Tito

53

SPA

Reale Avintia Racing

Ducati

1.652

16

Rossi Valentino

46

ITA

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Yamaha

1.668

17

Espargaro Pol

44

SPA

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

KTM

1.673

18

Zarco Johann

5

FRA

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

KTM

2.032

19

Iannone Andrea

29

ITA

Aprilia Racing Team Gresini

Aprilia

2.052

20

Oliveira Miguel

88

POR

Red Bull KTM Tech 3

KTM

2.255

21

Abraham Karel

17

CZE

Reale Avintia Racing

Ducati

2.274

22

Syahrin Hafizh

55

MAL

Red Bull KTM Tech 3

KTM

3.057

23

Smith Bradley

38

GBR

Aprilia Racing Test Team

Aprilia

3.454