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Ducati MotoGP rider Lorenzo suggests Qatar GP switches to twilight

Ducati rider Jorge Lorenzo believes MotoGP organisers should switch the Qatar season opener from being a full night race to a twilight event in future

The 2017 Qatar Grand Prix has been dogged by the threat of bad weather, which finally materialised on Saturday and caused the day's practice and qualifying sessions to be called off.

Problems relating to poor drainage were to blame for the cancellation, which also prevented riders from getting their first experience of riding under the floodlights in wet conditions.

Ongoing concerns about the feasibility of running the Losail race in the rain at night have led to calls to have the race returned to being a daytime event, as it was from its inception in 2004 until '07.

However, Lorenzo feels that a twilight race - starting two hours before the current green flag of 9pm local time - would be a good compromise to satisfy both the riders and the needs of the promoters.

"In this period of the year, it would be possible," said Lorenzo of a day race.

"But I think it's a good idea in terms of TV, for the sport and for the show, to make one race in the night.

"Obviously one of the things we spoke about [in the riders' Safety Commission] was trying to put the race before, two hours before [the normal 9pm start].

"I think 7pm is the right time.

"So it's still night, but the temperature is much more hot, there's less humidity and it's best for the safety of the riders.

"It's almost completely night and you finish in night time."

Lorenzo will start his first race as a Ducati rider from 12th on the grid based on combined practice times, although he agreed with his rivals who backed the decision to call off qualifying.

Rain fell again at the circuit briefly on Sunday, but MotoGP's extended warm-up session is due to start at 4:50pm local time (2:50pm UK) ahead of the 9pm race.

"For sure it's good to cancel the Saturday practice, because the track was not right," said the Spaniard.

"Apart from the rookies, I am one of the ones who needs the most time to get better. For sure it was not a lucky day for us.

"I don't know in which conditions we will start the warm-up.

"It's the same for everybody, we will have these 30 minutes to improve the feelings for me and the bike and choose the right tyre for the race."

MOTOGP QATAR GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID:

Pos Rider Bike Time Gap
1 Maverick Vinales Yamaha 1m54.316s -
2 Andrea Iannone Suzuki 1m54.848s 0.532s
3 Marc Marquez Honda 1m54.912s 0.596s
4 Johann Zarco Yamaha 1m55.008s 0.692s
5 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati 1m55.042s 0.726s
6 Scott Redding Ducati 1m55.085s 0.769s
7 Dani Pedrosa Honda 1m55.113s 0.797s
8 Jonas Folger Yamaha 1m55.208s 0.892s
9 Cal Crutchlow Honda 1m55.211s 0.895s
10 Valentino Rossi Yamaha 1m55.414s 1.098s
11 Danilo Petrucci Ducati 1m55.435s 1.119s
12 Jorge Lorenzo Ducati 1m55.461s 1.145s
13 Alvaro Bautista Ducati 1m55.581s 1.265s
14 Loris Baz Ducati 1m55.624s 1.308s
15 Aleix Espargaro Aprilia 1m55.634s 1.318s
16 Jack Miller Honda 1m55.959s 1.643s
17 Karel Abraham Ducati 1m56.003s 1.687s
18 Alex Rins Suzuki 1m56.179s 1.863s
19 Tito Rabat Honda 1m56.368s 2.052s
20 Hector Barbera Ducati 1m56.725s 2.409s
21 Sam Lowes Aprilia 1m56.854s 2.538s
22 Pol Espargaro KTM 1m57.116s 2.800s
23 Bradley Smith KTM 1m57.654s 3.338s


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