Marquez thought he would hold on to his pole position in Japan before Rossi charged. He tried to respond, but he first made a small mistake before encountering in his second attack the yellow flags waved following Crutchlow's fall.
However, it was with a smile that the championship leader gave his reaction when getting out of his Honda: “ I'm happy, pole would have been nice, but it's okay. On my second attempt I encountered the yellow flags and cut the throttle as it was dangerous. But it is okay. After the accidents of Dani and yesterday and of Lorenzo this morning, we must remain careful on the track. So I'm thinking of taking the medium front tire because it is more considerate than the hard».
We will recall that Marquez can be titled this Sunday in the event that the Yamaha experience a Berezina.
