The Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team are beyond excited to start the Moto2 World Championship under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit this coming weekend. Riders Manuel Gonzales and Keminth Kubo will also make their official debut at the Grand Prix of Qatar.
Manuel had a strong start to the pre-season testing and is keen to keep working on his feeling with the bike this weekend.
Kubo made good steps during the winter tests and is aiming to keep the momentum going during his first race in Doha.
Built on the outskirts of Doha, the Losail International Circuit was added to the MotoGP calendar in 2004 and became the first and only circuit in MotoGP to host a night-time Grand Prix four years later. The track's flowing midsection and its mix of medium and high-speed corners (six left and ten right turns) add to the exciting racing. However, the track is best known for its iconic over a kilometre long main straight followed by a steep first corner – a combination that offers plenty of overtakes.
As the Grand Prix of Qatar is the only night race of the year, the schedule of the upcoming race weekend differs slightly from the usual. The Moto2 FP1 session will take place on Friday afternoon from 12:45 - 13:25, local track time (GMT+3) followed by FP2 from 17:05 - 17:45. On Saturday, FP3 will be held from 12:20 - 13:00 and the qualifying sessions from 16:25 - 17:05. On Sunday, the warm-up is held from 13:20 - 13:30 and the race starts at 16:20.