MotoGP Qatar: Dovizioso edges Rossi in first 2018 practice session

Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso set the pace in the opening practice session of the 2018 MotoGP season in Qatar, beating Valentino Rossi by just 0.061 seconds.

Continuing his impressive form from the third and final pre-season test at the Losail circuit, Dovizioso retook top spot with three minutes remaining of a first session held in daylight hours.

He set a best time of 1m55.366s to oust Rossi from first by four tenths after the factory Yamaha rider had displaced Dovizioso moments earlier.

While Rossi improved in the dying stages, his 1m55.427s effort left him just over half a tenth shy.

A last-minute improvement for reigning champion Marc Marquez put the Honda rider third, 0.316s behind his 2017 title adversary Dovizioso, with Andrea Iannone making it four different manufacturers in the top four on the best of the Suzukis.

Jorge Lorenzo led the way in the opening stages on the second works Ducati but ended up fifth, a little more than half a second behind team-mate Dovizioso.

Best of the privateers was Johann Zarco on his 2016-spec Tech3 Yamaha, ahead of LCR Honda man Cal Crutchlow and Alex Rins on the second Suzuki.

A pair of Ducati satellite riders, Danilo Petrucci (Pramac) and Avintia's Tito Rabat completed the top 10.

Maverick Vinales was 0.764s adrift on the second of the factory Yamahas in 11th, one place ahead of Dani Pedrosa on the second works Honda.

Aleix Espargaro was 13th fastest with his Aprilia now equipped with the latest-spec of engine that had been due to come on stream in Qatar testing before being delayed.

Hafizh Syahrin, Tech3's late signing for the 2018 season, was top rookie in 15th.

KTM's charge was led by Pol Espargaro in 17th, the Spaniard joining Thomas Luthi and Alvaro Bautista in crashing during the opening session.

FP1 times

Pos	Rider	Bike	Time	Gap	Laps
1	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	1m55.366s	-	14
2	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	1m55.427s	0.061s	18
3	Marc Marquez	Honda	1m55.743s	0.377s	18
4	Andrea Iannone	Suzuki	1m55.816s	0.450s	17
5	Jorge Lorenzo	Ducati	1m55.888s	0.522s	16
6	Johann Zarco	Yamaha	1m55.943s	0.577s	16
7	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	1m55.989s	0.623s	16
8	Alex Rins	Suzuki	1m55.997s	0.631s	17
9	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	1m56.076s	0.710s	16
10	Tito Rabat	Ducati	1m56.111s	0.745s	17
11	Maverick Vinales	Yamaha	1m56.130s	0.764s	19
12	Dani Pedrosa	Honda	1m56.265s	0.899s	17
13	Aleix Espargaro	Aprilia	1m56.313s	0.947s	14
14	Alvaro Bautista	Ducati	1m56.528s	1.162s	14
15	Hafizh Syahrin	Yamaha	1m56.544s	1.178s	17
16	Jack Miller	Ducati	1m56.680s	1.314s	17
17	Pol Espargaro	KTM	1m56.999s	1.633s	16
18	Scott Redding	Aprilia	1m57.115s	1.749s	15
19	Takaaki Nakagami	Honda	1m57.183s	1.817s	18
20	Thomas Luthi	Honda	1m57.211s	1.845s	14
21	Franco Morbidelli	Honda	1m57.273s	1.907s	15
22	Bradley Smith	KTM	1m57.389s	2.023s	18
23	Xavier Simeon	Ducati	1m59.151s	3.785s	16
24	Karel Abraham	Ducati	1m59.462s	4.096s	9