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Moto2 heads to the Motegi track this week to contest the Japanese Grand Prix. Championship leader Ai Ogura will be defending his interests at home, trying to increase an advantage that is starting to weigh. We will therefore have to keep an eye on the #79, while the weather will be uncertain this weekend. For now, it is time for the riders to contest the FP, the first session of the event, which does not yet count towards Qualifying.

Moto2 general classification before Motegi: 

As is often the case in the morning, the sky is clear and the temperatures are already 29° in the air and 41° on the asphalt.

Before we start this 35-minute free practice session, here is a table that summarizes the known facts:

Moto2™ Japan, Motegi

2023

2024

FP 1'50.477 Somkiat Chantra 1'50.287 Filip Salac
P1 1'50.396 Somkiat Chantra
P2 1'49.978 Somkiat Chantra
Q1 1'50.089 Alonso Lopez
Q2 1'49.898 Somkiat Chantra
Course Chantra, Ogura, Acosta (See here)
All time lap record 1'49.898 Somkiat Chantra 2023

When the red lights went out, the sky was partially clear, but the raindrops soon returned to a track that was still wet in some places. However, they did not disrupt the times, which remained quite good, as their passage was so brief.

Tony Arbolino was the first to set a benchmark in Motegi, with an attempt completed in 1:51.102. Shortly after, the #14 brilliantly caught his bike at turn 5, before experiencing another tricky braking at the end of which he suffered a fall at turn 7, which resulted in damaging his bike. Jake Dixon took over in 1:51.083 to beat his opponent by 19 thousandths.

Shortly after the halfway point, local hero Ai Ogura entered the scene, setting the fastest time in 1:50.463. The Japanese then put six tenths of a second in the sight of his rivals.

Things accelerated in the last five laps on the track, and Ogura's opponents made it harder for him to defend a benchmark that continued to drop by the thousandths. The fast laps were interrupted for a while by a fall by Fermin Aldeguer at turn 7.

In front of the checkered flag, Filip Salac claims the best time with a time of 1:50.287

Moto2 2024 Japanese Grand Prix FP result at Motegi:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

All articles on Pilots: Ai Ogura