Japanese Grand Prix Motegi MotoGP Q2: First pole at Motegi for Márquez!

A circuit of Motegi, belonging to Honda, partially typed ON/OFF, and whose main characteristic is its strong braking (the only track where 340 mm carbon discs are compulsory in the dry), on which the Yamahas are at the party: it's beyond comprehension, and probably not to the taste of the men of HRC!

However, Marc Márquez spared no effort during the first day of testing in Japan, seeking a possible advantage in an original tire choice during the 24 laps that will have to be completed on Sunday. Then, the new and recurring world champion tried to take pole by returning, unlike in the morning, to the usual soft rear tire, but this time it was not enough to get Fabio Quartararo et Maverick Vinales. Or Maverick Viñales and Fabio Quartararo, depending on whether you choose the afternoon or morning classification.

Each of the two men threw all their strength into surpassing the other, while being well aware that forgetting Marc Marquez for the race would be a big mistake…

Waiting, Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Viñales, Marc Márquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Valentino Rossi, Franco Morbidelli, Jack Miller, Danilo Petrucci, Joan Mir and Aleix Espargaró qualified at the end of the first day for a direct passage to Q2, anticipating that FP3 would take place on a wet track.

This was indeed the case, thus confirming this list of pre-qualified for Q2 during a session dominated by a Danilo Petrucci found, always effective in the wet, and marked by fifth place in Sylvain Guintoli therefore the times of the first day have been erased.

FP4 then showed that it will be necessary to take into account Marc Márquezas Cal Crutchlow and Alex Rins were drafted into Q1.

21° in the air, 21° on the ground, and a track now generally dry, here are roughly the conditions in which the 12 aforementioned drivers will now compete for 15 minutes to determine the first 4 lines of the starting grid of this MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix which will take place on Sunday over 24 laps:

Motegi MotoGP™	2018	2019
FP1	1'45.358 Andrea Dovizioso (See here)	1'45.572 Maverick Viñales (See here)
FP2	1'48.136 Dani Pedrosa (See here)	1'44.764 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
FP3	1'45.107 Andrea Dovizioso (See here)	1'54.710 Danilo Petrucci (See here)
FP4	1'45.531 Marc Márquez (See here)	1'48.940 Marc Márquez (See here)
Q1	1'45.429 Álvaro Bautista (See here)	1'46.695 Cal Crutchlow (See here)
Q2	1'44.590 Andrea Dovizioso (See here)	1'45.763 Marc Márquez
warm up	1'45.409 Andrea Dovizioso (See here)
Course	Marquez, Crutchlow, Rins (See here)
All time lap record	1'43.790 Jorge Lorenzo (2015)

When the red lights go out, everyone appears on soft/soft slick tires except Cal Crutchlow which uses a midrange at the front.

Nobody wastes time and Marc Márquez immediately registered a 1'46.980 in front Jack Miller and Fabio Quartararo.

At the end of the first run, Marc Márquez precedes by half a second Jack Miller, 7 tenths Franco Morbidelli, and one second Fabio Quartararo, Andrea Dovizioso, Álex Rins, Cal Crutchlow, Danilo Petrucci, Maverick Viñales, Aleix Espargaró, Valentino Rossi and Joan Mir.

On resumption, fabio quartararo improves its first sectors and positions itself second before Maverick Vinales, previously ninth, does not dethrone him.

In the last lap, alone Maverick Vinales, Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller seem to have the possibility of improving the best time, but in the end, Marc Marquez, Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo progress and things remain there.

Qualification 2 standings for the Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix:

Qualification 1 standings for the Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix:

Credit rankings: MotoGP.com