Johann Zarco of Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider took control of the timesheets on the third and final day of pre-season testing at the Losail International Circuit and heading second-fastest Valentino Rossi on the Movistar Yamaha on Saturday.
The Frenchman set a time of 1:54.029, inside the official lap record and faster than Maverick Vinales’s pole last year, though a couple of tenths short of Jorge Lorenzo’s best-ever lap, also set on a Yamaha back in 2008.
While times were close behind Rossi, rookie Hafizh Syahrin of Monster Yamaha in 16th by only one second, Zarco was fully two-tenths ahead of the former champion.
The former double Moto2 champion Zarco’s pre-eminence at the final pre-season test came after three strong days, using a 2016 chassis rather than last year’s troublesome factory bike, as would be normal for the satellite Yamaha team. The bike, however, is fitted with the latest aero-body fairing, with boxed wings like the factory bikes.
The Yamaha pair narrowly eclipsed third-fastest Andrea Dovizioso, whose Ducati Team had been strong throughout the three days.
The latest power-up Honda RC213Vs had also been threateningly fast and consistent, with satellite-team rider Cal Crutchlow of LCR Honda the best of them, finished fourth overall.
It was incredibly close between the Brit and the Maverick Viñales of Movistar Yamaha, however, with the Spaniard – fastest in testing at the venue last season and the race winner – just 0.014 off after he made a late attack.
The top five were the same as the combined times on Day 3, but the man who leaves the desert sixth overall is Andrea Iannone of Team Suzuki Ecstar, who set his best laptime on the second day. The Italian, whose 1:54.586 was the fastest lap on Friday, was sidelined on the third and final day of the third and final preseason test as he was suffering from illness.
Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda Team, who is gunning for his seventh title, finished seventh.
Johann Zarco of Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider (left) and Valentino Rossi of the Movistar Yamaha in action on the third and final day of pre-season testing at the Losail International Circuit on Saturday.
