Daytime Qatar practice sessions "wasted"

For 2018, the schedule at the Losail circuit was brought into line with the other tracks on the grand prix calendar, with four days of track action being condensed into three and the race start time moved forward two hours.

This has resulted in FP1 and FP3 both being held during the afternoon in much warmer conditions than would be expected for the race, which is set to take place at 7pm local time on Sunday.

LCR Honda rider Crutchlow, who ended the first day of running eighth, half a second slower than pacesetter Andrea Dovizioso, said he felt FP1 had been a waste of a session.

“Obviously it was our decision as well with the Safety Commission, the riders asked for it, we asked for the race to be earlier and this was the schedule we were allowed,” said the Englishman.

“These sessions in the daylight are not [only] wasted sessions but wasted tyres as well. You may as well test in the right conditions.

“In the test, I didn’t leave the pitbox until 5.30pm, because it’s pointless [leaving earlier] when we race in the night.”

Crutchlow added that holding the race at 8pm could be a better solution for future seasons.

“I think we should maybe put it back to eight,” he said. “We were at nine [last year], now we’re at seven, so eight’s a compromise. I think they are wasted, these day sessions.

“We decided that we needed the race earlier. We wanted it over three days, get here a day later.”

Valentino Rossi, ninth fastest on Friday, echoed Crutchlow’s sentiments but said the change to a three-day schedule was a welcome one.

“For me it is better to have the weekend just in three days and not in four because four days is too long and I am very happy to race at seven o'clock and not nine because the track is better,” said the Italian.

“The only problem is that FP1, FP3 [and] warm-up are not very important because you make with hotter [conditions].”

Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont and Khodr Rawi