(MENAFN- The Peninsula) MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda yesterday finished on top of the combined time sheets after a frantic end to Free Practice (FP) 3 with Britain's Cal Crutchlow claiming a sensational second place under the lights of the Losail International Circuit here.
With the combined times from all three Free Practice sessions deciding who would qualify automatically for Q2, with the top 10 riders all making it through, it was once again Spain's Marquez who ended on top of the time sheets.
The satellite CWM LCR Honda of Crutchlow (+0.096s) put in a sensational lap to end the three sessions in second place.
Italy's Andrea Iannone (+0.170s) finished third after losing the front at turn two ended any chance he had of improving on his time set early on in FP3.
Spain's Aleix Espargaro (+0.172s) put the Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR into fourth, with the Movistar Yamahas of Jorge Lorenzo (+0.286s) and Valentino Rossi (+0.370s) just making it through to Q2 in eighth and ninth respectively.
Hector Barbera (+0.574s) was the leading Open class rider in 11th, with Scott Redding (12th, +0.625s), Maverick Vinales (13th, +0.854s) and Bradley Smith (16th, +0.919s) on the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha being some of the big names who will have to battle it out in Q1. Loris Baz also crashed at turn two and was taken to the Medical Centre for an X-ray on a suspected broken finger.
Moto2
In Moto2, Sam Lowes managed to beat Johann Zarco into second in FP3 yesterday after the two riders put on an incredible display of riding during the session.
The two riders were a cut above the rest of the field as they both managed to break the two-minute mark, exchanging lap record after lap record before Lowes put in an incredible 1'59.541 at the end of the session. Zarco (+0.136s) couldn't quite respond and finished in second spot. Reigning Moto2 world champion Tito Rabat (+0.452s) once again completed the race distance of 20 laps during the session, leaving it until his final lap to get under the two-minute barrier and finish third.
Moto3
Earlier in Moto3, it was a Leopard Racing 1-2 as Danny Kent finished fastest ahead of his team-mate Hiroki Ono after an intense battle with Miguel Oliveira.
The final Free Practice session for Moto3 saw the riders take to the track in their last chance to impress before qualifying today.
The intense on-track action showcased just how close the championship will be this year as less than two-tenths split the top five with under a second separating the top 13.
There was a dramatic end to the session as riders put on fresh tyres in the last 10 minutes to set a flying lap with the lead changing hands a number of times between Oliveira and Kent, before the British rider posted the fastest time of the weekend, a 2'06.413.
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