Extra, from a press launch issued by Dorna:
The stage is ready: Martin units searing new pole document to move Bagnaia, Miller and Bezzecchi at Motegi
Friday’s freshly pressed lap document is already a reminiscence because the quantity 89 comes out swinging on tremendous Saturday, heading a bunch of great contenders on the entrance
Saturday, 30 September 2023
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) was completely untouchable in qualifying for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, setting a 1:43.198 new lap document to e-book a first-class ticket to pole place. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Crew) put in one other spectacular comeback below stress within the remaining minutes to chop the hole to only 0.171 because the Championship chief takes second, with 2022 Motegi winner Jack Miller (Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) finishing the entrance row.
Q1: MARQUEZ VS QUARTARARO
As ever, it was a star-studded Q1 and one with lots on the road for Honda and Yamaha on residence turf. And it was Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Crew) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Vitality Yamaha MotoGP™) setting the early tempo and buying and selling quick laps on the primary runs.
On take two, the quantity 93 shadowed El Diablo out of pitlane, setting in movement a tandem push for the highest. However a late assault from Raul Fernandez (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Crew) cut up the duo on the timesheets with just below two minutes remaining, and on the ultimate lap round, Quartararo couldn’t hit again – with monitor limits additionally biting for the quantity 20.
Marquez saved his place on the prime, the one rider within the 1:43s, with Raul Fernandez transferring via in second.
Q2: SHOCK EARLY DRAMA
One headline was made nearly instantly as Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Crew) instantly barreled out at Flip 13, rider okay however then dealing with a race again to the storage to attempt to reset. In the meantime, Martin had taken over on prime and Marquez, who had been following Bezzecchi, had latched on behind the quantity 89 as an alternative.
Martin, nevertheless, was simply on rails, and banged in that 1:43.198 to move the timing sheets forward of Miller by greater than half a second, three tenths faster than Brad Binder’s (Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing) Friday lap document.
With seven minutes to go, Bezzecchi was again out, somewhat out of sync with the remainder as the bulk sat within the pitlane prepared to move again out on Run 2. However as soon as that second chew on the cherry started in earnest, the highlight was as an alternative on Bagnaia. He was inside a tenth of Martin’s lap earlier than making a late mistake and dropping out, placing himself below some stress to maneuver up from fourth. However that he did, taking on in second subsequent time spherical as he managed to chop the hole to the highest to 0.171.
Miller improved once more to finish the session 0.353 off pole however on the surface of the entrance row, with the timing screens then largely dormant as few discovered late enhancements. Bezzecchi, nevertheless, did handle to take fourth, simply forward of Binder.
THE GRID
Martin heads Bagnaia and Miller, with Bezzecchi proper within the combine in fourth forward of Binder. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) continued his spectacular velocity in Japan to take sixth, with Marquez heading Row 3 in seventh.
The eight-time World Champion is joined by Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) and teammate Aleix Espargaro, with Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) unable to maneuver up from tenth. Raul Fernandez, from Q1, pipped Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Manufacturing unit Racing Tech3) to P11.
Then comes Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Manufacturing unit Racing Tech3), the primary to overlook out on Q2, with Quartararo down in P14 simply forward of Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Crew) because the quantity 36 suffered a late crash in Q1 that put paid to a highly regarded lap.
The stage is most undoubtedly set for some gorgeous racing! So you understand what to do…
