On Saturday, the MotoGP paddock will open for business at Qatar's Losail track for the final pre-season test of 2019.

After the first outing in Malaysia teams now have to make their final preparations for the year on everything from aero to engines, and they’ll be trying new things as well as comparing new data with their findings from the very different venue of Sepang.

Engines, for those without concessions – which now includes Ecstar Suzuki after their stellar 2018 – are one of the biggest keys. From the start of the season factories aren’t able to make changes and the very same Suzuki showed in 2017 how a slight mis-step can wreak havoc on the season as a whole.

There’s no sign of that from the Hamamatsu factory so far in 2019 though, and Ducati and Honda both also seem happy after Sepang, the latter trying two specs. Yamaha, after a more difficult couple of seasons, also saw plenty of positive comments about the engine coming from Maverick Viñales in Malaysia.

They’ve had one to work with and no direct choice in 2019, but the Spaniard specifically pointed out improvements in acceleration which has been a key issue for the Japanese factory in recent seasons.

Aero packages are another key component about which teams must make a final decision. This year it’s a simple choice of two fairings for the year, one of which must be decided upon before the season begins, the other mid-way through, and neither of which can be changed once homologated.

And this time around, they also have to fit in a specially designed homologation unit that judges the legality of the fairing – if it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t race.

At Sepang, Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller crashed on their different aero fairings they were trying so they’ll want to get a little more track time under their belts in Qatar before decisions are made, and past Ducati, traditionally the masters of aero innovation, we saw plenty of different options up and down pitlane.

After Repsol Honda introduced a carbon swingarm last season, they are also seemingly de rigeur. Aprilia have a very different machine this year and were seen testing one, and they’ll be looking for more of the impressive reliability they showed in Malaysia. KTM have also been spotted with a carbon swingarm, but then KTM have been spotted with new everything.

The Austrian factory had a new fairing, carbon front forks and a new tail on the RC16 including a redesigned exhaust, as well as the mountain of everything KTM are continually evaluating as they chase the same success in the premier class that has made them a name to beat in other disciplines.  

That’s a whole lot of information to sift through and a whole lot of choices to be made – in addition to the mammoth task of deciding on an engine spec for the grid’s newest manufacturer, although they aren’t locked into it like those without concessions. New Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Johann Zarco also tried out some seat modifications at Sepang as he continues to adapt, and he seemed to make some good progress in Malaysia.

Another man who will finally be able to continue his own adaptation in Qatar is Jorge Lorenzo. After breaking his scaphoid and being forced to miss the Sepang Test, the five-time World Champion will be able to get back on his new Repsol Honda machine at Losail and continue getting up to speed.

So as well as the final adjustments to the machinery, he’s sure to be a key talking point of the Qatar Test come struggle or shine, as will new teammate Marc Marquez after surgery on his shoulder. Will their fights back to fitness steal the headlines from Honda’s testing program?