MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix 2017: Where to watch live and qualifying review
Maverick Vinales has taken pole position at Qatar.
The 2017 season of the Moto GP starts in the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. For the tenth time, the event which is in its 14th year, will be held under floodlights. An interesting year lies ahead, with champion-elect Jorge Lorenzo moving from Yamaha to Ducati while Maverick Vinales, after an impressive season with Suzuki, taking Lorenzo's berth at Yamaha.
Where to watch live
Live coverage of the final race of the Qatar Grand Prix starts at 6.45pm BST on BT Sport 2 and BT Sport 2 HD. Real-time internet updates are available on MotoGP's official website. Live streaming is available on BTSport.com and mobile users can stream it live via BT Sport's official app.
Overview
Vinales has clinched pole position in Qatar after torrential rain and bad weather saw the qualifying sessions being called off. The final positions were decided by the accumulation of free practice times as completed on Friday. The inspectors waited till the end of the day for the weather to relent but had to call off the sessions in the wake of the inclement weather.
Andrea Iannone and world champion Marc Marquez are two other riders to complete the front row, while debutant Johann Zarco, Andrea Dovizioso and Britain's Scott Redding follow on row two.
Valentino Rossi failed to get his bearings right and finished in the tenth place, while Jorge Lorenzo, in his opening race with Ducati, will begin from a lowly 12th place.
MotoGP safety representative Loris Capirossi blamed lack of proper drainage facilities for the cancellations. Despite no rain falling in the evening, the track did not dry sufficiently for the qualifying session to be carried out.
"The main problem of the track was there is no drainage, because we don't expect the rain in Qatar," Capirossi explained, as quoted by Motorsport.
"We discovered this especially during the [pre-season] Moto2 and Moto3 test, and today in these conditions. In the run-off area at Turn 8, there was nearly a lake.
"The problem is, without drainage, the water is coming up from the bottom. We tried to take away the water with a pump, but when we thought it was good, after 10 minutes it came out again.
"This is why we tried to keep [delaying the schedule], but we never resolved the problem. Now the situation is a little bit better, but even now the track is not ready."
Final Grid Line-Up in the Qatar Grand Prix from Losail International Circuit:
1. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)
2. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
3. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)
4. Johann Zarco FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17)
6. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16)
7. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)
8. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
9. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V)
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)
11. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17)
12. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17)
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