Marc Marquez was fastest in a throwaway MotoGP FP3 session in which strong winds and high track temperatures prevented the majority of riders from improving from their Friday evening times in Qatar.
Just five minutes into the session, Repsol Honda duo Jorge Lorenzo and Marquez, both found themselves hitting the floor. Lorenzo highsided on the slow left handed turn six and was slow in getting up, appearing to have the wind knocked out of him. He later went into the medical centre to be checked after a bang to his neck and back.
Marquez was pushed wide on the fast turn fourteen by the wind, before losing the front end of his RC213V. Marquez walked away, but gave his recently repaired shoulder a proper work out once again.
Despite the early crash, Marquez posted the fastest lap of the session with a little over two minutes remaining in the session. Despite the late laps, Marquez’ best time of the session was a 1:54.677 – over a second off his fastest time of the weekend.
Behind the Spaniard were the only two riders who improved their Friday times. Pecco Bagnaia was second and just 0.063 behind Marquez with Pol Espargaro also improving, a further tenth back.
Despite his bests efforts, Valentino Rossi will still be forced to go through Q1 after only finishing fourth fastest, ahead of Taka Nakagami, Alex Rins – who walked away from a crash of his own at turn two in the closing moments – and Franco Morbidelli.
Maverick Vinales was eighth with KTM duo Johann Zarco and Miguel Oliveira rounding out the top ten. Jack Miller was eleventh with Cal Crutchlow in twelfth, ahead of the factory Ducati duo of Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso.
