All the build up ends and we hit the first MotoGp weekend of 2015 with the season opener at Losail, with the added bonus of F1 from Malaysia to make it a full weekend of motor sport.
I love this time of year, all the build up ends and we hit the first MotoGP race weekend of 2015 with the season opener at Losail International Circuit, Qatar.
The final test session last week was rained off, as it's impossible to ride under the flood lights on a wet track with the glare, and a few news outlets were suggesting that rain might play a hand over the next couple of days too. So, how are things shaping up weather wise?
The good news is that the forecast has improved, with less chance of showers through the 4 day event, the race weekend always looked to be dry, and on the latest data today and Friday are also looking dry through all sessions. There is enough cloud in the forecast over the next two days to indicate the slight risk of a shower or two bubbling up to disrupt things, so do keep an eye out for updates. Light winds should also help keep the track clear of dust and sand as it rubbers up, which could help us see the first improvement on pole and race laps since Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo set the current records in 2008.
You can check the latest forecast updates for the Losail International Circuit here
Formula 1 from the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia might not be so lucky, it's typically soupy and humid, with temperatures in the mid thirties and higher with light winds. That can only mean one thing for this tropical region, storms, and potentially enough of them to be disruptive. The risk of rain and storms increases through each day, currently Friday looks like seeing the heaviest rain, with a slightly better outlook for the weekend, but the clouds can bubble up very quickly and deliver torrential rain at any time. As we saw last year, the rain could hold off until later in the afternoon, leaving the drivers battling punishing heat and humidity, but I think we're likely to see rain around for most of the later sessions each day, including the race itself.
So there's plenty of scoope for fun and games as teams push to complete dry laps in qualifying, and have strategies in place for all evantualities on race day, there will be full time radar watching and no doubt spotters outside the circuit watching for any storm clouds heading in.
The lastest forecast updates can be found on the F1 Forecast page, Malaysia is 8 hours ahead of us currently, but don't forget the clock change on Sunday, it means the race starts at 8am BST, compared to the 9am GMT start for qualifying on Saturday.
