Questions for Honda
Two of the biggest questions as we head for Qatar line up alongside each other at Repsol Honda.
Reigning champion Marc Marquez comes back from surgery to his shoulder and questions abound as to the race readiness of the now seven-time world champion.
His new team-mate Jorge Lorenzo has six wins in Qatar - three of which came in MotoGP. But how will he come out the blocks this year as he continues his recovery from a broken scaphoid and adaptation to a whole new machine?
Advantage Ducati
Meanwhile, at Ducati garage, it's less adaptation and more fine-tuning for last year's Qatar GP winner Andrea Dovizioso.
Confident in testing but not to a fault, the Italian begins the season with the natural advantage of being fully fit. Add that to his 2018 success at the venue and solid reports from testing, there's likely a good few bets been placed on ‘DesmoDovi'.
Yamaha charge
A first victory to kick off the season would be just what the ‘Doctor' ordered for Yamaha MotoGP after a more difficult season last year.
In testing, however, it was Yamaha who locked out four of the top six on the final day in Qatar.
Promising rider
2017 winner Maverick Vinales who went top in pre-season testing, looks very promising. Can he replicate that on race day?
Or will the experience and four previous MotoGP victories at the venue tip the scales in favour of team-mate Valentino Rossi?