67% humidity and a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius greeted the grid on Day 1, with a single practice session on Thursday at the Grand Prix of Qatar due to the altered timetable.

Viñales’ stunning chart topper of a lap was a 1:54.316 on a new tyre – only four tenths off the pole lap record set by then-rookie Jorge Lorenzo on his MotoGP™ debut in 2008, making a record-breaking weekend look even more likely.

Another scene familiar from preseason was Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who was third in the session – after the ‘Baby Samurai’ was the only rider other than Viñales to feature in the top five at every test in 2017.

Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) had yet another impressive session, fastest rookie and taking P4 on the timesheets on a final dash – with Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) completing the top five as the quickest Ducati on track in his GP weekend debut in red.

Another incredible performance came from Reale Avintia Racing rider Loris Baz, who shot up into the top six on his final lap. LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow recovered from an early mechanical problem to take seventh, just ahead of the second fastest rookie Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was ninth quickest after a late improvement – but 1.483 off his new teammate Viñales and looking for a good step forward as the ‘Doctor’ managed on Day 2 of the #QatarTest. Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rider Aleix Espargaro completed the top ten.

There were crashes in FP1 for Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) and Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), with all riders ok.

Reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), however, kept it clean after two falls on Friday and ended the day in P6. The Spaniard set a 1:55.196 as his best, completing 50 laps. Teammate Dani Pedrosa had a tougher day at a track he finds more of a challenge, ending up P16 with a 1:55.875. Pedrosa was P3 at the end of the Phillip Island test and will be looking to move forward on the final day of Qatar.

Jonas Folger kept his crown as top rookie, putting in another stunner to complete the top three on his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 machine. Folger was the only rider able to join the Movistar Yamahas in the 1:54 bracket, putting in an incredible 1:54.917.

Aleix Espargaro finished Day 2 completing the top five for Aprilia despite his crash, with fellow Independent Team rider Alvaro Bautista also impressing in the top ten to put his Ducati GP16 in P7. Espargaro did a 1:55.121, Bautista a 1.55.245 in a close field.

Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) had a much improved second day to take ninth with a 1:55.353 on his last lap of the day, with Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookie and reigning Moto2™ Champion Johann Zarco completing the top ten on a 1:55.354.

Andrea Iannone was the fastest Team Suzuki Ecstar rider in P12 on a mid 1:55, with teammate Alex Rins in P17. Rins tried the Suzuki “aero-fairing” for the first time on Day 2, ending the session ahead of the EG 0,0 Marc VDS pairing of Tito Rabat – returning from injury – and Jack Miller.

Red Bull KTM Factory racing trio Pol Espargaro, Bradley Smith and test rider Mika Kallio got through another big program of work for the Austrian factory on Day 2, with Espargaro the fastest ‘Bull’ on a 1:56.648.

The third and final day of preseason testing kicks off on Sunday at Losail International Circuit, before the venue then prepares for the first Grand Prix of the season.

“I’m very happy, I’m very excited. It’s a dream for all us riders to go to MotoGP one day and I’m very happy that Yamaha and Tech 3 and Herve [Poncharal] are believing in me. It’s such a great opportunity.” Said Folger

Preseason is now officially over and the next time the German will be on track will be part of the Qatar GP. So how has it been adapting to the premier class?

“After 2 or 3 laps I started to forget everything and just ride the bike, like a normal bike. And it was amazing! The power of the bike and everything…" He added "but it took me a while to understand all the buttons and all the things you can change on the bike. And I’m impressed of everything: the engine, the bike, the tyres, the brakes…everything is just another level.”

Speaking about the key to his pace so far? Simple: “I think the key is that I don’t have pressure because I’m a rookie. We didn’t expect too much, we took everything very easy and we enjoy a lot together. To be honest I still don’t want to expect too much.”

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) took first blood as the third and final preseason test got underway at Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Italian rider set the fastest lap of the night and quicker than new teammate Jorge Lorenzo’s 2016 race lap record. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) completed the top three.

There were a number of high profile crashers – including reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – and a Red Flag late in the session following a number of falls in succession at Turn 2.

At the front was ‘DesmoDovi’, who has been on the podium at Losail for the last two years and set a best lap of 1:54.819 to get under the race lap record of 1:54.927. The Italian put in 36 laps as work continues on the Desmosedici GP17, with no big visible aero updates for the Borgo Panigale factory in Qatar - yet. Dovizioso’s teammate, five-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, continued his steady progress of adaptation, ending an solid first day under the floodlights in P5 with a best of 1:55.616.

Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) had another impressive day in the office at Losail, as the fastest man in preseason so far ended Day 1 in second. A 1:55.179 was the 2013 Moto3™ World Champion’s best lap, 0.360 off the number 04 at the front. Teammate and nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, who left Phillip Island outside the top ten on combined times, had an improved position after the first day in the desert - finishing up P7 with a 1:55.679.

Cal Crutchlow was the fastest Honda out the blocks, as the two-time GP winner put LCR Honda in P3 with a 1:55.420. The next Honda on the timesheets was Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa in P8 on a 1:55.692 – with reigning Champion Marquez in P12 on Day 1 with a 1:55.899. Marquez crashed twice on the first day, including a fall when first trying a new “aero-fairing” for his Repsol Honda machine.

The superstar of the first day was Karel Abraham (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), who took a stunning P4 with a 1:55.613. The Czech rider is returning from WorldSBK and got up to speed quickly on his Desmosedici GP15 in Qatar.

Jonas Folger was again the fastest rookie, as in Phillip Island, and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider lined up just behind Lorenzo on the timesheets in P6, with a best of 1:55.640. French fellow rookie teammate Johann Zarco ended Day 1 in P9 in another impressive performance from both.

‘Maniac’ Andrea Iannone completed the top ten despite crashing; a 1:55.751 after 41 laps putting the Italian just ahead of compatriot Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) in P11.

Behind Marquez in twelfth, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) and Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) completed the top fifteen.

Action continues on Saturday at Losail International Circuit, with two official days of testing now left until the lights go out for FP1 at the same venue on the 26th March.