Summary day 1 of GP 1

Exciting 1st day to the first Grand Prix in Qatar

Looking at it after the first day, you could almost fall into the error that Ducati will dominate the season opener. As the third rider among the fastest four, our secret favorite Johann Zarco also improved the Ducati result. However, after careful observation, we advise caution with regard to premature forecasts. It gave us the impression that the Yamaha riders hadn’t bluffed, but still hadn’t played all of their cards. For all MotoGP pilots it was primarily a matter of staying in the top 10 in FP2. The danger of not being able to qualify for Q2 in FP3 is huge. All four Yamaha riders made it into the top 9 and in tenth place Pol Espargaró, despite the crash shortly before the end, probably got the last ticket for the direct entry into the second qualifying.

Winners and losers after the first day

In addition to the three best Ducati pilots and all the Yamaha riders, Suzuki aces Alex Rins and Aleix Espargaró are clearly in the top ten as the second of the “Asparagus Brothers”. The latter managed on the Aprilia what the reigning world champion Joan Mir missed just behind brother Pol. A top ten result in Qatar after FP2 is an almost certain ticket into Q2. Rins managed this easily as the fifth best in the second free practice. The rookies held up respectably and must all probably have to go to Q1, as the situation is currently.

The losers on the first day come as little surprise
The only disappointment was all 4 KTM riders with Brad Binder as the best of them on P16, as well as HRC test rider and Marquez replacement Bradl. We are already curious about his excuses, which is why he was only fifth from last. According to many paddock members, the Bavarian is undisputedly world-class in this area. In any case, Repsol Honda should be all the more longingly hoping for Marc Marquez’s comeback soon. The losers on the first day hardly a surprise at least. Nevertheless, many would not have expected that all the rookies would make a stronger impression than all KTM and Bradl except for Binder.

Is KTM falling back into the third class?

Even if the Red Bull Media propaganda machine tries desperately to portray it differently, things are definitely not looking good for the oranges at the moment. After FP1, Tech 3 driver Iker Lecuona carried the red lantern. Petrux and Brad Binder were also unable to convince in the first free practice. At the moment everything indicates that two factors in particular would usher in the renewed crash into being a hindered man. On the one hand, the Austrians lost their undisputed leader figure with Pol Espargaró because he felt that he would probably never achieve a title on KTM. In addition, it is now painfully noticeable what many had overlooked or ignored the previous year.

Why KTM threatens to crash after the interim high in 2020
However, we had already pointed out during the 1st Corona year that the oranges took a huge advantage from their early tests from May 2020. As the only team ever, they were able to sort out the new Michelin tires early on. While Aprilia was still in lockdown as the second concession team in Italy, the Austrians benefited from their early opening. At the start of the season, especially in Brno, Spielberg and on the first Misano weekend, Pol Espargaró freely admitted how great her advantages were from previous tests. But that is now over, and now you can see all the more clearly how strongly their surprisingly strong results were influenced by it. But now the bitter hour of truth is apparently coming for KTM.

The MotoGP times on Friday

Moto2 after day 1 – only few surprises

Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) was the only rider to crash at Turn 5. The strongest impression was made by Sam Lowes and Marco Bezzecchi, as well as Jason Roberts, Xavi Vierge, Remy Gardner and Bo Bendsneyder. Marcel Schrötter and his former teammate Tom Lüthi are separated in 11th and 13th position with Tony Arbolino in between, of all things, by the Swiss’s successor. Raul Fernandez was four places better than the Italian as the eighth best rookie of the second free practice. It all looks like the first 14 after FP2 are directly qualified for Q2. Many drivers drove about 2 seconds faster in the evening than in FP1 around the hot lunchtime. Therefore, an improvement in the third free practice is very unlikely.

The times of the second free practice of Moto2

Moto3 after day 1 – numerous surprises

In the very last minute, Kaito Toba set the best time that his rivals could not beat afterwards. With Jaume Masia and Gabriel Rodrigo, two of the favorites most cited by many media and MotoGP followed in the next places. The biggest surprise was Jason Dupasquier in fifth and Max Kofler in tenth. With Darryn Binder, on the other hand, one of the favorites for victory and title was only in 15th place. But only on Sunday is it about points and before that comes day 2 with qualifying, which means that there is still time for many improvements.

The schedule for the first MotoGP weekend in 2021

The changeover to daylight saving time is from Saturday to Sunday, but this only affects Europe and which is why the time difference in Qatar is reduced by one hour. The races take place early on Sunday evening. Of course, we report live and in a summary every day. It doesn’t get much faster than ours. So the top ten can be seen on our site immediately after they cross the target.

Unless otherwise stated, this applies to all images: (© MotoGP).