MotoGP has been forced to cancel qualiying for the opening round of the 2017 season in Qatar due to heavy rain, which has left too much standing water on the Losail circuit, with conditions deemed too dangerous for riders.
The grid for Sunday's race will therefore be formed from combined practice results, with Maverick Vińales securing pole position for the Yamaha factory team, his first in the category.
Overnight rain and a storm during the early hours left much of the circuit covered in standing water, therefore race direction chose to cancel the session completely, rather than postpone it.
Viñales will start ahead of Suzuki Ecstar's Andrea Iannone with reigning champion Marc Marquez completing the front row.
The second and third rows consist of Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda).
Nine-time world champion and Viñales' team-mate Valentino Rossi heads up the fourth row in 10th, ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing). Jorge Lorenzo is in 12th on his debut with Ducati.
Click here for the full grid for round one of the MotoGP season at Qatar.
![Alpine Managing Director Steve Nielsen [pictured with Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore] is stern in his belief Mercedes has acted correctly](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Alpine-Steve-Nielsen-Flavio-Briatore-350x250.webp)
![Alpine Managing Director Steve Nielsen [pictured with Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore] is stern in his belief Mercedes has acted correctly](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Alpine-Steve-Nielsen-Flavio-Briatore-120x86.webp)
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