2019 Qatar MotoGP: 4 Predictions for qualifying

After an exhilarating 2018 season, Grand Prix Motorcycling Racing will resume with the opening race in Qatar under the lights.

FP1 and FP2 seasons are done and dusted with riders putting together respectable lap times before the start of the qualifying sessions on Saturday.

In the Moto3 division, Fenati topped the FP1 while the top spot in the second free practice session was secured by KTM's Aron Canet.

Fierce competition was seen in the Moto2 division with multiple riders being separated by less than a second, which could churn out interesting possibilities on Saturday as teams and riders go out to secure their spot on the starting grid for the opening race of the season.

The Premier Class saw the top teams take the top positions with brilliant performances from the Yamaha SRT team and Pramac Racing's Jack Miller.

Without further ado, let us look into the four things that could happen in the qualifying sessions at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

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#4 Fenati secures a spot in the front row

Romano Fenati showcases top-draw performances in FP1 and FP2

Disgraced motorcycling rider Romano Fenati started the 2019 season from the Moto3 division, hoping for a fresh start after the brake-grab fiasco that ended his season early in 2018.

The Italian rider had two fantastic practice sessions that saw him finish first in the FP1 and second in FP2, showcasing that he has got the speed to more than excel in this division of Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing.

If Fenati manages to bring the same form to the qualifying sessions, it shouldn't be a surprise if he manages to grab a spot in the front row of the grid and possibly challenge for the first win of the 2019 season.

#3 Yamaha Factory Racing falls behind Repsol Honda and Ducati

Valentino Rossi struggled in FP2

Valentino Rossi produced a splendid FP1 at the Losail International Circuit by taking the first spot on the timing charts; however, the Italian failed to reciprocate the same during FP2.

Rossi clearly struggled in the second free practice session, which ensured that he couldn't improve on the time that he had set in the FP1. This has forced him to finish the session in a lowly place.

Maverick Vinales had decent practice sessions, but none of those looked like a challenge to the Honda and the Ducati machines. Marc Marquez had fantastic sessions, and the Ducati team has shown during the preseason test that their machine is probably the fastest when it comes to qualifying.

With the other two big manufacturers clearly displaying their dominance, Factory Yamaha Racing, even with Valentino Rossi on board, could struggle to match up with them during the qualifying session.

#2 Closely packed top-10 in MotoGP

The top-10 could be a close affair

With the way the things have turned out so far in the first two free practice sessions of the 2019 season, it is highly probable that the top-10 positions on the grid could be classified with less than a second to separate the riders.

The first free practice session saw the top-17 being separated by less than a second while FP2 displayed the top-9 in contention with less than a second to split them.

Apart from the factory teams of the Honda, Yamaha and the Ducati, the 24-year-old Jack Miller of the Alma Pramac Racing team showcased good pace, finishing eighth and third in FP1 and FP2 respectively.

Both the riders of the Petronas Yamaha SRT team and Alex Rins of Suzuki Factory Racing are the other riders to watch out for during the qualifying sessions as they shape up the top-10 positions on the starting grid.

#1 Current champion Marc Marquez takes pole

Marc Marquez could start the 2019 season with a pole position

Marc Marquez, with a blistering pace in the second free practice session, showed everyone why he is the current MotoGP world champion. Fresh from surgery, the Spanish rider showed no signs of backing down during the free practice sessions on Friday.

The prolific Spaniard finished FP1 in third place with a gap of less than 0.2 seconds behind Valentino Rossi. Marquez's perfect FP2 saw him in the first place with 1'53.380, close to a half a second faster than the second-placed Maverick Vinales.

Marc Marquez narrowly missed out on the pole position at the Losail International Circuit during the 2018 season, but he would be hoping to better that and secure a pole to get his season started on a perfect note.

Jorge Lorenzo, his teammate, on the other hand, endured mixed results, finishing second in FP1 and eleventh in FP2.