Vinales leads Yamaha 1-2-3 on day two of second MotoGP test

Maverick Vinales has topped the second day of the final pre-season MotoGP test at the Losail International Circuit, completing a 1m53.244s lap to lead a Yamaha domination of the timesheets.

Vinales led the way by 0.079 over Petronas Yamaha satellite rider Franco Morbidelli, while Vinales’ team-mate – and Morbidelli’s former team-mate – Fabio Quartararo completed the virtual podium, 0.154s down.

Conditions in Losail were close to perfect, building on yesterday’s dry and windless day with even higher air temperatures extending conditions that previous fastest man Jack Miller described as “begging for” fast laps to be set.

Despite that, though, Miller’s 1m53.183s time from day one wasn’t bettered, with many of the grid electing to concentrate on long runs rather than time attacks during the optimal window in track conditions shortly after the sun went down.

Pecco Bagnaia was fourth, completing both a long run and a time attack of his own and impressing as he continued to adapt to the factory Ducati, while Aleix Espargaro continued his strong run of form for Aprilia in fifth, just ahead of reigning world champion Joan Mir and his Suzuki team-mate Alex Rins.

Valentino Rossi was eighth, making a dramatic improvement to become the final rider to break into the 1m53 laps times. Johann Zarco and Pol Espargaro completed the top ten, while Miller was 11th.

Taka Nakagami was 12th, one space ahead of test rider Stefan Bradl, while Zarco’s fellow Pramac Ducati rider Jorge Martin was the first of the rookies just ahead of fellow newcomer Enea Bastianini.

The day was marked by a number of crashes, with Honda riders Alex Marquez, Bradl and Espargaro (for his first time on the RC213V) all among the fallers, as was Tech3 KTM man Iker Lecuona.

Marquez has sustained a fracture to his foot in the fall and has been declared unfit, although there is a suggestion that he may attempt to ride again tomorrow for the final day.

Testing concludes tomorrow with a final seven hours of pre-season track activity, before a break of two weeks to allow Moto2 and Moto3 to take to the Losail circuit ahead of the opening two races of the year later in the month.