Moto3 Japan FP1: Diogo Moreira gets the ball rolling!

The Asian tour continues for Moto3 riders with FP1 in Japan, a second meeting in two weeks. In India, the action was intense and the championship is now fully relaunched.

The leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was in great difficulty in the first days, and was caught by another serious competitor, in the person of Jaume Masia (Honda Leopard Racing). The latter won in style at Buddh, well ahead of all his competitors. He is now tied for first in points, but Daniel Holgado remains the leader thanks to his three victories against two to James Masia.
The two men are just a point ahead Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP). The Japanese, third in India, is having a very solid season so far even if he has still not won a single Grand Prix.

Behind, the young guns are pushing, notably two rookies: David Alonso (Gaviota GasGas Aspar Team), the Colombian currently fourth overall, as well as the Dutch Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), in contention for the podium in India but pushed by his teammate Sasaki in the final moments. Among other talents, they should be watched with the greatest attention. But among the tenors of the entry category separated by one point, who will win this battle of Motegi, decisive for the award of the title?

Among the changes in the list of participants, we will only note the packages of Roman Fenati (Rivacold Snipers Team), replaced due to left foot injury in India by David Almansa, as well as that of david savior (CIP-Green Power) following the discovery of microfractures in the knee, while curiously no local wildcard from the All Japan championship felt ready to attempt the adventure, unlike in previous years.

Weather question, an often thorny subject in Motegi, if we avoid cyclones and other earthquakes this year, we let you be the judge of the days to come...

It is therefore for the moment under a cloudy sky with temperatures of 31° in the air and 32° on the ground that the 27 pilots are preparing for this first 35-minute session in the land of the rising sun.

Here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Motegi Moto3™	2022	2023
FP1	1'57.252 Diogo Moreira	1'57.260 Diogo Moreira
FP2	2'09.684 Denis Foggia
FP3	CANCELLATIONDUE TO RAIN
Q1	2'11.779 Scott Ogden
Q2	2'11.246S Tatsuki Suzuki
Warm up	1:57.860 Ayumu Sasaki
Course	Guevara, Foggia, Sasaki (See here)
All time lap record	1'56.443 Hiroki Ono (2016)

When the red lights go out, the premises Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) is the quickest to get into the rhythm by setting a first benchmark in 2'00.638.

On the next pass, the Japanese driver recorded 1'59.832 but already had to bow to James Masia in 1'59.504 which then improved to 1'59.200 in front David Munoz (BOE Motorsports).

He then took command in 1'59.154 then 1'59.067, before James Masia enter 1'58.970 at the top of the table. The Leopard driver is then on the verge of improving but gets really hot at turn #11.

At mid-session, the top five is made up of Jaume Masia, David Munoz, Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3).

Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) positions himself third a few moments later and we are already approaching the last 10 minutes which could prove crucial if the rain forecast for tomorrow turns out to be correct.

Ryusei Yamanaka (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) attacks first in 1'58.734 but the championship leader Daniel Holgado reacts in 1'58.236.

Deniz Oncu outbid in 1'58.111 four minutes from the checkered flag but there are still half a dozen able to improve.

Diogo Moreira displays 1'57.330, then 1'57.260, mass is said!

Moto1 Japanese Grand Prix FP3 results at Motegi:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com