Yesterday was marked by the fall of Dani Pedrosa who was one of the big favorites for victory at this Japanese Grand Prix. The Spanish pilot once again broke his collarbone and had to return to Spain, replaced on the fly by Hiroshi Aoyama.
The author of the other spectacular fall of the day, Eugene Laverty, ultimately did not receive authorization to take part in the tests this morning although he did not suffer any fractures or injuries. He will undergo another test before FP4.
Reminder: no #EL50 in FP3, as he's not been deemed fit to ride. Reassessment before FP4#JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/YOTx4Pu2Ez
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 15, 2016
Here are reference times :
| Motegi MotoGP | 2015 | 2016 |
| FP1 | 1'45.432 Jorge Lorenzo | 1'45.786 Andrea Dovizioso |
| FP2 | 1'44.731 Jorge Lorenzo | 1'45.151 Jorge Lorenzo |
| FP3 | 1'44.089 Jorge Lorenzo | |
| FP4 | 1'45.000 Jorge Lorenzo | |
| Q1 | 1'45.030 Maverick Vinales | |
| Q2 | 1'43.790 Jorge Lorenzo | |
| WU (wet) | 1'55.235 Dani Pedrosa | |
| All time lap record | 1'43.790 Jorge Lorenzo | |
| Running (wet) | Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Rossi |
Weather conditions are excellent with 18s in the air and 26s on the ground.
The session begins with the performance of a Hector Barbera who, on his official Ducati, does not let go of the rear wheel Jorge Lorenzo, the fastest man yesterday.
Jack Miller minor fall at turn #7 followed shortly after by Danilo Petrucci at the same place.
🚖 ride back to the pits for @jackmilleraus after a minor crash early on.#JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/i3pj20oZyr
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 15, 2016
Marc Marquez then achieved the best time of the weekend, in 1'45.073.
We have a new fastest time of the weekend, courtesy 👉 #MM93#DP9 has also gone down but walked away. #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/RenjLNytjn
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 15, 2016
Seven pilots, Marquez, Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Vinales, Crutchlow, A. Espargaro and Rossi, are then in the half-second, the 8th, Danilo Petrucci, being at 1,2 seconds, a rather very unusual gap.
The second run begins with the fall of Katsuyuki Nakasuga at turn #10, then that ofÁlvaro Bautista at turn #3, but does not bring any improvement in terms of times apart from that of Hector Barbera which enters the Top 10.
Crash for Nakasuga, who's 16th at the time of falling. He's OK and jogging through the gravel#JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/6Q5403K1a8
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 15, 2016
The final packaging sees Jorge Lorenzo leaving on a stretcher after a very spectacular highside at turn #2, undoubtedly due to an insufficient rise in tire temperature. There may be concerns about injuries to the right ankle.
Huge drama for # JL99 on his OUT LAP
A substantial highside leaves him struggling to walk away.#JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/pxsOs59yJn
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 15, 2016
Barbera rises to 5th position and Dovizioso to the second when Crutchlow takes it from him.
We observe a further fall in Jack Miller when, in the last round, Red is ahead in T2 but he takes the two official Ducatis on his wheel and Barbera took the opportunity to take 4th position.
Jorge Lorenzo is evacuated by helicopter to the hospital where he will undergo a CT scan.
UPDATE: # JL99 headed to hospital for cranial CT scan
🚁➡️🏥 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/niIc0XQHrF
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 15, 2016
Photo credit : MotoGP.com
Chronos compiled by our friends at crash.net:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)
1m 44.987s [Lap 6/19] 304km/h (Top Speed)
2. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 45.026s +0.039s [17/18] 305km/h
3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP)
1m 45.057s +0.070s [15/17] 308km/h
4. Hector Barbera ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP)
1m 45.120s +0.133s [18/18] 310km/h
5. Alex Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 45.155s +0.168s [19/19] 304km/h
6. Maverick Vinales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 45.284s +0.297s [17/18] 305km/h
7. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 45.417s +0.430s [19/19] 303km/h
8. Espargaro Pol ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)
1m 45.680s +0.693s [16/17] 305km/h
9. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)
1m 45.794s +0.807s [7/15] 304km/h
10. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 45.844s +0.857s [17/18] 305km/h
11. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 45.854s +0.867s [17/17] 306km/h
12. Stefan bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)
1m 46.012s +1.025s [17/18] 305km/h
13. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 46.236s +1.249s [18/19] 304km/h
14. Katsuyuki Nakasuga JPN Yamalube Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 46.807s +1.820s [15/15] 302km/h
15. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 46.962s +1.975s [17/17] 302km/h
16. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 1m 47.327s +2.340s [17/22] 301km/h
17. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)
1m 47.522s +2.535s [14/19] 308km/h
18. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)
1m 47.556s +2.569s [17/17] 303km/h
19. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 48.184s +3.197s [6/11] 300km/h
20. Loris Baz FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2)
1m 48.283s +3.296s [15/16] 297km/h
21. Mike Jones AUS Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 49.071s +4.084s [7/17] 303km/h
Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2)
No Time [0/0]
Drivers moving directly to Q2:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)
2. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V)
3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP)
4. Hector Barbera ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP)
5. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)
6. Alex Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
7. Maverick Vinales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
8. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)
9. Espargaro Pol ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)
10. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15)
