Yamaha

The Angel Nieto Team has expressed an interest in running Yamaha machinery in MotoGP from 2019 onwards, after Tech 3’s shock decision to end its ties with the Japanese factory at the end of this year.

What a difference a year makes.

Valentino Rossi signed off a topsy-turvy pre-season with second place on the final night of MotoGP testing in Qatar.

Johann Zarco has every chance of starting the 2018 MotoGP season where he left off at the end of his rookie campaign: fighting for the top of the timesheets.

Johann Zarco, fastest in the dry at the final pre-season test, is sure that MotoGP will be able to race under floodlights in the rain, should such conditions occur at the season-opening Qatar race.

Valentino Rossi has confirmed his intention to continue competing in MotoGP until 2020, restating there is no great rush to sign with Yamaha. He will do so “when we are ready – we have time.”

Johann Zarco’s preparations for a victory challenge at the first MotoGP race of the year continued apace on Friday, the Frenchman finding “huge improvements” with a new Michelin tyre, leading him to conclude “we found what we were missing.”

Jorge Lorenzo helped draw a line under a lowly 22nd on the final day in Buriram by leading substantial parts of the opening day of MotoGP testing Qatar.

Maverick Vinales' turbulent pre-season took another twist as the rider who had been 12th fastest on the final day in Thailand topped the timesheets in Qatar.

Although it's yet to be officially confirmed, all the indications are that - having announced a departure from Yamaha - Tech3 is to become a satellite KTM team in 2019.

Monster Yamaha Tech3 crew chief Nicolas Goyon has had a revolving door of riders since Jonas Folger's sudden withdraw from last October's Japanese MotoGP. Just three months earlier the pair had been celebrating Folger's brilliant ride to second place in his home German Grand Prix.

Full race results from Phillip Island

Full race results for the first round of the 2018 World Supersport championshiop at Phillip Island, Australia.   1. Lucas Mahias FRA GRT Yamaha YZF-R6 9 laps 2. Randy Krummenacher SUI Bardahl Evan Bros. Yamaha YZF-R6 +1.274s

Full Superpole qualifying results from Phillip Isl

Full free practice three results for the first round of the 2018 World Supersport championshiop at Phillip Island, Australia.   1. Lucas Mahias FRA GRT Yamaha YZF-R6 1m 33.874s

- Andrea Dovizioso and Marc Marquez disagree over the future of the MotoGP season structure with the predicted increase in races and reduction in testing ( Speedweek )

There were more than a few eyebrows raised when it became clear that Hafizh Syahrin had moved into pole position for the vacant Monster Yamaha Tech3 ride. But by the end of a debut test in Thailand, the 23-year-old had silenced his doubters.

Johann Zarco may have finished testing at lunchtime on the final day in Thailand, but it took until the final minutes for Dani Pedrosa to finally displace the satellite star from the top of the timesheets.

Maverick Viñales labeled the three-day MotoGP test in Thailand as the worst he has experienced since moving to Yamaha at the close of 2016, as the Catalan toiled once more on the final day, leaving him perplexed, dazed and in need of answers.

Valentino Rossi's Sepang optimism took a blow as he concluded a difficult Thailand MotoGP test with the twelfth fastest lap time.

Johann Zarco maintained his form through the second day of MotoGP testing in Buriram, Thailand, posting the fifth fastest time of the afternoon, 0.391s off pace setter Marc Marquez's personal best.

Valentino Rossi felt he had little to show for his 65 laps of the Chang International Circuit, on Saturday at the Thailand test.

Hafizh Syahrin cut 1.167s from this lap time during day two on the Monster Yamaha Tech3 MotoGP bike, hauling the Malaysian off the bottom of the timesheets and within 2.1s of fastest man Marc Marquez.

Confident that Yamaha is back on track with its MotoGP chassis, Valentino Rossi feels acceleration is where the factory is now losing ground - especially to Ducati.