Japanese Grand Prix Motegi MotoGP FP3: Dovizioso on top, Zarco in the trio and Rossi was very hot.

As is traditional when the weather conditions are favorable, this final MotoGP free practice session is the last chance for the riders to enter a top 10 synonymous with direct entry into Q.2. Those who already have a place in this good wagon since Friday will want to keep it like a Valentino Rossi ninth or an Aleix Espargaro just on the border of the two worlds. Others need to redeem themselves like Danilo Petrucci. Will the Yamahas confirm their return to form? Finally, we will recall that the debates will take place without a Jorge Lorenzo package and already uncertain for Australia next weekend…

Before launching hostilities, here are the available time references, although last year was marked by all the sessions on wet tracks:

Motegi MotoGP™	2017	2018
FP1	1'55.418 Marc Marquez (see here)	1'45.358 Andrea Dovizioso
FP2	1'54.877 Andrea Dovizioso (see here)	1'48.136 Dani Pedrosa
FP3	1'55.254 Marc Marquez (see here)
FP4	1'54.581 Marc Marquez (see here)
Qualification 1	1'55.258 Pol Espargaro (see here)
Qualification 2	1'53.469 Johann Zarco (see here)
Warm Up	1'56.719 Marc Marquez (see here)
Course	Marquez, Dovizioso, Petrucci (see here)
All time lap record	1'43.790 Jorge Lorenzo 2015

 

20° in the air, 26° on the track and a blue sky, the conditions indicate that everything remains to be done to find themselves directly in Q.2 this afternoon. In 1'46.252, Marquez achieves the first reference of the exercise in medium-soft and Kidneys follows, pushing at the same time Alex Espargaro outside the famous top 10. Dovi triggers a 1'46.091 on soft medium which puts him in control of the session after ten minutes. But his performance of 1'45.358 achieved on Friday morning remains the absolute reference.

Petrucci goes up thirteenth. He therefore still has to gain after his nightmare from the day before. Baptist puts on his software and achieves a 1'46.080 which places him in front Dovizioso and absolute seventh. The Yamahas are fifth, sixth and eleventh with a zarco leader in full soft ahead Vinales in medium soft and Red.

Fourth, Marc Marquez spare no effort...

The official Hondas work in medium soft except Crutchlow which is in full medium. The Englishman is twelfth in the session and last of the leading HRC drivers. Iannone puts on his softs halfway through and takes the lead in 1'46.065. His teammate Kidneys runs on medium soft. Jordi Torres crash at turn 7. He was 21nd.

At the start of the last quarter of an hour, Dovizioso picks up the pace in 1'45.869. In 1'46.143, Pedrosa enters the top 10 whose border is now held by a Red in fact in danger… And that’s Kidneys in full soft which is responsible for 21 thousandths of pushing him back into Q.1, ten minutes from the checkered flag. but Petrucci did better and took this coveted tenth place. Red is therefore twelfth in the cumulative ranking…

In 1'45.763, Miller takes the lead by four thousandths in front Vinales. the final sprint is launched.

In 1'46.053, Red passes ninth absolute. But he has no margin of safety. In 1'45.654, zarco goes to the head of the session while Petrucci falls at turn 12 and is therefore destined for Q.1. Pedrosa raises the tone and puts the Doctor back in an uncomfortable tenth position. In 1'45.134, Crutchlow takes the yellow jersey. Red is eleventh as the last minute begins.

Under the checkered flag, Dovizioso announces a 1'45.107. Red snatches the fifth time and therefore his place in Q.2. He follows Marquez, zarco, Crutchlow and therefore Dovizioso. Pedrosa, Vinales, Kidneys Iannone et Miller Repechages will also be avoided. Instead of Baptist, Morbidely or even Petrucci, without forgetting the Aprilia officials. On this occasion we will see a duel between Japanese since It lit up is currently ahead Nakagami...

Japanese Grand Prix Motegi MotoGP FP3: times.

1	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	01'45.107		4	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati
2	Cal Crutchlow	01'45.134	+0.027 / 0.027	35	GBR	LCR Honda CASTROL	Honda
3	johann zarco	01'45.137	+0.030 / 0.003	5	FRA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha
4	Marc Márquez	01'45.289	+0.182 / 0.152	93	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda
5	Valentino ROSSI	01'45.422	+0.315 / 0.133	46	ITA	Yamaha Motor Racing	Yamaha
6	Dani PEDROSA	01'45.428	+0.321 / 0.006	26	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda
7	Maverick VIÑALES	01'45.47	+0.363 / 0.042	25	SPA	Yamaha Motor Racing	Yamaha
8	Alex Rins	01'45.508	+0.401 / 0.038	42	SPA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki
9	Andrea Iannone	01'45.599	+0.492 / 0.091	29	ITA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki
10	Jack Miller	01'45.688	+0.581 / 0.089	43	AUS	Alma Pramac Racing	Ducati
11	Alvaro BAUTISTA	01'45.742	+0.635 / 0.054	19	SPA	Angel Nieto Team	Ducati
12	Frank MORBIDELLI	01'46.125	+1.018 / 0.383	21	ITA	EG 0,0 Marc VDS	Honda
13	Danilo PETRUCCI	01'46.216	+1.109 / 0.091	9	ITA	Alma Pramac Racing	Ducati
14	Katsuyuki NAKASUGA	01'46.341	+1.234 / 0.125	89	JPN	Yamalube Yamaha Factory Racing	Yamaha
15	Pol Espargaró	01'46.488	+1.381 / 0.147	44	SPA	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	KTM
16	Takaaki NAKAGAMI	01'46.491	+1.384 / 0.003	30	JPN	LCR Honda IDEMITSU	Honda
17	Aleix Espargaro	01'46.518	+1.411 / 0.027	41	SPA	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia
18	Scott REDDING	01'46.561	+1.454 / 0.043	45	GBR	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia
19	Hafiz Syahrin	01'46.579	+1.472 / 0.018	55	MAL	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha
20	Xavier SIMEON	01'46.608	+1.501 / 0.029	10	BEL	Royal Avintia Racing	Ducati
21	Thomas LUTHI	01'47.48	+1.941 / 0.440	12	SWI	EG 0,0 Marc VDS	Honda
22	Bradley SMITH	01'47.179	+2.072 / 0.131	38	GBR	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	KTM
23	Karel ABRAHAM	01'47.387	+2.280 / 0.208	17	CZE	Angel Nieto Team	Ducati
24	Jordi TORRES	01'47.542	+2.435 / 0.155	81	SPA	Royal Avintia Racing	Ducati
25	Sylvain GUINTOLI	01'47.893	+2.786 / 0.351	50	FRA	Team SUZUKI ECSTAR	Suzuki