Rossi sets Qatar pace

Valentino Rossi has laid down an early marker to his MotoGP rivals by breaking his own 990cc lap record on the opening morning of the Qatar IRTA test today.

In what is a dress rehearsal for the opening race of the season on March 10, the former world champion clocked an impressive time of 1.57.243 shortly before 1pm local time (Qatar is three hours ahead of UK time).

Incredibly that was 0.1s faster than the lap record he set in winning the 2006 Qatar GP, though today’s temperatures are much cooler than the 26 degrees witnessed at last year’s race.

Regardless, it is still a hugely impressive start to the three-day from the 27-year-old, who had only been on track for 80 minutes when he set the best time. 

But he was still a fraction slower than Repsol Honda rider Nicky Hayden. Rossi only flew into Doha at 2am this morning, and didn’t take to the track on the new YZR-M1 800 until 11.40am.

Colin Edwards continued where he left off in Malaysia last week by lapping a fraction outside of lap record pace on the first morning of the IRTA test in Qatar.

The factory Yamaha rider, who impressed by setting the fastest time on race and qualifying tyres last week in Sepang, has clocked a best time of 1.57.322 before the one-hour lunch break. Track action resumes at 11am UK time.