World Grand Prix Championship of FIM, November 16-19, 2023, Moto2, Round 19, Losail, Qatar, Sam Lowes; Elf Marc VDS Racing Team; Kalex
The FIM World Grand Prix Championship, which will take place from November 16-19, 2023 in Losail, Qatar, will see some changes in the training structures of the Moto2 and Moto3 series for the upcoming 2024 season. The first training session of the weekend, previously known as Practice 1, will now be called Free Practice 1 starting from the Qatar Grand Prix. This modification follows a similar change made by the organizers of the Dorna series for the MotoGP class in July of last year, before the British GP.
The decision to rename the opening training session came after the premier class riders expressed the need to reduce the pressure of each weekend, as the intensity of each session had become overwhelming. Previously, both Friday training sessions contributed to determining the top ten riders who would secure a place in the qualifying session on Saturday. To alleviate this pressure and allow riders to adapt to the weekend, Dorna adjusted the structure so that only the afternoon session P2 would determine the riders who would advance to Q2 on Friday afternoon. This change was well received by both the premier class riders and teams, leading to its implementation in the lower classes starting this season.
The Moto3 session will last for 35 minutes, followed by a 40-minute outing for Moto2. The remaining sessions will remain unchanged from the 2023 season. This adaptation also allows teams to save some of the soft Pirelli tires, the new tire supplier, for the later sessions. The opening test provides an opportunity for teams to familiarize themselves with the track and make setup adjustments without the pressure of achieving a fast lap time.
Typically, track conditions in the afternoon are faster than in the morning due to the accumulation of rubber on the racing surface throughout the day. However, under the previous rules, if adverse weather conditions reduced grip, the lap times from the opening session would determine which riders would advance to Q2. With the new structure, this scenario is no longer a concern.
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