Alex Rins: 3rd - 1:54.593 +0.385 (in Session 2)
Joan Mir: 12th - 1:54.997 +0.789 (in Session 3)
• Alex Rins feeling prepared for Qatar GP.
• Joan Mir learns rapidly to set impressive times.
• Team happy with the winter work done ahead of season opener.
The third and final day of testing in Doha, Qatar saw the Team SUZUKI ECSTAR duo lock out the top two positions on the time sheets for a time towards the end of the day.
The pace shown by Alex Rins and Joan Mir points to the ever building confidence the pair have found in their 2019 GSX-RR package.
Alex Rins used the last day to try finalise his settings, as well as putting in some quick laps and longer runs. He explained that a useful step has been taken ahead of the new season, and he feels ready to tackle the races and continue his great pace. The Spaniard had a small crash without consequence.
Meanwhile, Joan Mir spent Day 3 working on lap times and overall race pace, the rookie has also used the Qatar test to further accelerate his adaptation and learning process, and he feels a lot has been achieved since the first tests at the end of last year.
The team will be back in Losail in just two weeks’ time, where the 2019 MotoGP season will begin.
Ken Kawauchi - Technical Manager
“This was the last test before the first race, and we’ve selected all the parts that we wanted to use. Alex had a crash today which meant we couldn’t follow our schedule exactly, but we feel it hasn’t had a big impact on our performance, because we’ve already done a lot of work. Joan has done very well during these three days and has improved his performance.”
Davide Brivio - Team Manager
“Our winter preparation has now ended, and overall the feeling is a positive one. Unfortunately Alex had a crash today which meant we stopped for a while and then returned to the track in the last minutes. Joan has continued to learn and improve and today he did well and bettered his lap time from yesterday, as well as keeping good pace over a long run. We’ve selected our 2019 package and put all the pieces together, from this point of view we feel ready for the race weekend. We can’t wait to be back here and start the season. Thank you very much to all the team and the engineers in Japan, they’ve done a great job and we will try to use the package they have provided in the best possible way.”
Alex Rins
“My feeling was incredible and I’m very happy. As you can see from the time sheet, my pace is there, but when pushing for my best lap time I had a small crash. All of the requests I’ve given to Suzuki this winter, they have fulfilled. I feel very positive about the way the bike has been developed - it was a challenge to improve it because the base was already very good. For sure it will be tough when we start the first race, there will be a lot of fast riders and everybody is excited to start.”
Joan Mir
“I’m really happy about the pace we have, and also about my feeling with the bike. We’ve made another step forward, which is really important for the race. We feel well prepared for the start of the season, although I couldn’t quite get the lap time I wanted due to a small mistake on my flying lap. But I feel I have potential and I’m close to the pace of the top guys, just a couple of tenths per lap down on them. There’s always more work to do, but overall I feel positive about what we’ve achieved in these days.”
1. Maverick VIÑALES Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1:54.208 Session 3
2. Fabio QUARTARARO Petronas Yamaha SRT 1:54.441 0.233 0.233 Session 3
3. Alex RINS Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:54.593 0.385 0.152 Session 2
4. Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 1:54.613 0.405 0.020 Session 3
5. Valentino ROSSI Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1:54.651 0.443 0.038 Session 3
6. Jorge LORENZO Repsol Honda Team 1:54.653 0.445 0.002 Session 3
7. Franco MORBIDELLI Petronas Yamaha SRT 1:54.660 0.452 0.007 Session 3
8. Pol ESPARGARO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:54.770 0.562 0.110 Session 3
9. Takaaki NAKAGAMI LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1:54.789 0.581 0.019 Session 3
10. Danilo PETRUCCI Mission Winnow Ducati 1:54.818 0.610 0.029 Session 3
11. Jack MILLER Alma Pramac Racing 1:54.851 0.643 0.033 Session 3
12. Joan MIR Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:54.997 0.789 0.146 Session 3
13. Francesco BAGNAIA Alma Pramac Racing 1:55.074 0.866 0.077 Session 3
14. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:55.173 0.965 0.099 Session 2
15. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Mission Winnow Ducati 1:55.205 0.997 0.032 Session 2
16. Tito RABAT Reale Avintia Racing 1:55.229 1.021 0.024 Session 3
17. Cal CRUTCHLOW LCR Honda CASTROL 1:55.247 1.039 0.018 Session 2
18. Andrea IANNONE Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:55.343 1.135 0.096 Session 3
19. Johann ZARCO Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:55.716 1.508 0.373 Session 2
20. Miguel OLIVEIRA Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1:55.773 1.565 0.057 Session 3
21. Karel ABRAHAM Reale Avintia Racing 1:55.951 1.743 0.178 Session 2
22. Bradley SMITH Aprilia Factory Racing 1:56.072 1.864 0.121 Session 3
23. Hafizh SYAHRIN Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1:56.371 2.163 0.299 Session 3
QATAR PRE-SEASON TEST DAY 3 - Classification:
1. VIÑALES, Maverick Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1:54.208
2. QUARTARARO, Fabio Petronas Yamaha SRT 1:54.441 0.233 0.233
3. MARQUEZ, Marc Repsol Honda Team 1:54.613 0.405 0.172
4. ROSSI, Valentino Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP 1:54.651 0.443 0.038
5. LORENZO, Jorge Repsol Honda Team 1:54.653 0.445 0.002
6. MORBIDELLI, Franco Petronas Yamaha SRT 1:54.660 0.452 0.007
7. ESPARGARO, Pol Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:54.770 0.562 0.110
8. NAKAGAMI, Takaaki LCR Honda IDEMITSU 1:54.789 0.581 0.019
9. PETRUCCI, Danilo Mission Winnow Ducati 1:54.818 0.610 0.029
10. MILLER, Jack Alma Pramac Racing 1:54.851 0.643 0.033
11. RINS, Alex Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:54.852 0.644 0.001
12. MIR, Joan Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1:54.997 0.789 0.145
13. BAGNAIA, Francesco Alma Pramac Racing 1:55.074 0.866 0.077
14. RABAT, Tito Reale Avintia Racing 1:55.229 1.021 0.155
15. DOVIZIOSO, Andrea Mission Winnow Ducati 1:55.233 1.025 0.004
16. IANNONE, Andrea Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:55.343 1.135 0.110
17. CRUTCHLOW, Cal LCR Honda CASTROL 1:55.690 1.482 0.347
18. OLIVEIRA, Miguel Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1:55.773 1.565 0.083
19. ESPARGARO, Aleix Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:55.814 1.606 0.041
20. SMITH, Bradley Aprilia Factory Racing 1:56.072 1.864 0.258
21. ABRAHAM, Karel Reale Avintia Racing 1:56.121 1.913 0.049
22. ZARCO, Johann Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:56.162 1.954 0.041
23. SYAHRIN, Hafizh Red Bull KTM Tech 3 1:56.371 2.163 0.209
SUZUKI - QATAR TEST COMES TO A CLOSE WITH POSITIVITY ALL ROUND
![[Image: suzukiecstarlogo.jpg]](http://www.ttwebsite.com/gifs/2018/MOTOGP/suzukiecstarlogo.jpg)
![[Image: AlexRinsLosailTest1.jpg]](http://www.ttwebsite.com/gifs/2019/MOTOGP/AlexRinsLosailTest1.jpg)