Lorenzo takes the lead on day one of the final pre-season tests.

Riders and their teams bring their A game during the final MotoGp pre-season test, that are currently underway at Losail International Circuit, Qatar. As the track opened at 16:00 Local Time, Michele Pirro, Hiroshi Aoyama and Takuya Tsuda rushed out on track, the three test riders were given the responsibility of assessing the track conditions.

Stefan Bradl was the first full time Grand Prix rider to circulate track,he was later joined with other riders. By 7:00pm Local Time all of the riders were out on the track with both Marc Marquez and Scott Reddingtaking the lead early in the session. It was an unfortunate start for Valentino Rossi who fell at Turn 10, but he was uninjured during the fall.

Throughout the second half of the test Andrea Iannone, Maverick Viñales and Jorge Lorenzo all took a turn at the top of the time sheets with Lorenzo ending the first day of testing on top. A 1’55.452 was his best time of the opening day, 1.3 seconds slower than the 2015 pole lap, but 0.428s ahead of Maverick Viñales in second. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP have elected to run a hybrid of the 2015 and 2016 bike, both Lorenzo and Rossi running extensive tests on it in Qatar.Viñales finished second to Lorenzo.

Third fastest and 0.442s back on his teammate was Valentino Rossi who completed 33 laps after his early fall. With both the factory Yamaha bikes inside the top three, it is clear that they will be a threat and title challengers throughout the season as they were in 2015. Rossi joined Viñales and Lorenzo in the 1’55s, the trio the only riders to produce times under the 1’56 barrier.

Day two of the Pre-season are currently going on before they conclude on Friday.