Final minutes of Q2 was a nail biter.
Zarco
Márquez
Petrucci

Well that was quite a show!

I've always thought Zarco looked like a magician, this may prove it.

If Zarco can maintain pace in the race it will be his first win.

I like Petrucci for the win.

His race pace has been mid to low 55 since the test.

George better be sharpening his pencil or it will be an all Italian Ducati team next year, regardless of what Ducati says in public.

Qualifying 2:

Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1) 1m 53.680s [Lap 7/7] 338km/h
Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 1m 53.882s +0.202s [Lap 7/7] 342k
Danilo Petrucci ITA Pramac Ducati (GP18) 1m 53.887s +0.207s [Lap 7/7] 345k
Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 54.072s +0.392s [Lap 7/7] 344k
Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP18) 1m 54.074s +0.394s [Lap 3/7] 345k
Alex Rins ESP Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 54.339s +0.659s [Lap 7/7] 339k
Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 1m 54.368s +0.688s [Lap 6/7] 337k
Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 1m 54.389s +0.709s [Lap 7/7] 335k
Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (GP18) 1m 54.431s +0.751s [Lap 5/6] 339k
Jack Miller AUS Pramac Ducati (GP17) 1m 54.449s +0.769s [Lap 7/7] 339k
Andrea Iannone ITA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 54.619s +0.939s [Lap 7/7] 335k
Maverick Viñales ESP Movistar Yamaha (YZR-M1) 1m 54.707s +1.027s [Lap 7/7] 339k

Qualifying 1:

Aleix Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 55.140s 333k
Franco Morbidelli ITA EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 1m 55.169s 333k
Hafizh Syahrin MAL Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1)* 1m 55.258s 335k
Tito Rabat ESP Reale Avintia (GP17) 1m 55.273s 334k
Scott Redding GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 55.380s 336k
Thomas Luthi SWI EG 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 1m 55.381s 333k
Karel Abraham CZE Angel Nieto Team (GP16) 1m 55.392s 338k
Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) 1m 55.553s 336k
Alvaro Bautista ESP Angel Nieto Team (GP17) 1m 55.638s 338k
Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16) 1m 55.706s 340k
Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V)* 1m 56.401s 331k
Xavier Simeon ESP Reale Avintia (GP16)* 1m 56.545s 337k

Quote from: ducpainter on March 17, 2018, 10:18:28 AM
If Zarco can maintain pace in the race it will be his first win.

I like Petrucci for the win.

His race pace has been mid to low 55 since the test.

George better be sharpening his pencil or it will be an all Italian Ducati team next year, regardless of what Ducati says in public.

https://twitter.com/Anna_Maria_09

Quote from: Speeddog on March 17, 2018, 02:58:50 PM
https://twitter.com/Anna_Maria_09

That graphic appears to corroborate.

KTM still running in the back of the pack.    I was hoping that they would be, at least, in the middle somewhere.  They better pick up or Zarco will really be pissed next year if he doesn't have a competitive machine.

I really thought Dovi had it when he pulled that low 1:54.  He and Petrux have the race pace as long as they make a good start.

Gotta say Petrucci is looking the most threatening on race pace.

He did an even more crushing run in testing, did twenty laps of 1:55-56's.

Good stuff 

DOVI! DOVI! DOVI!!

He made it look easy, never really seemed to be on edge. MM and Rossi looked like they were on the limit just keeping up. Dare I hope that Ducati have finally developed the best bike on the grid? At least for Dovi.

Great start to the season for Dovi. Confidence inspiring for him, especially since it’s his first win there.

Quite the show!

Was it obvious what happened with Zarco (and a couple of others?) who suddenly started falling back? (I was just following live timing)

Quote from: stopintime on March 18, 2018, 02:15:55 PM
Was it obvious what happened with Zarco (and a couple of others?) who suddenly started falling back? (I was just following live timing)

Tires. At the end they were all shot, but since Zarco lead through most of the race, he maintained a hot pace that eventually ate the rear. Dovi just maintained it better than the rest.