Moto3 Japan Qualifying: For its 25th birthday, Tatsuki Suzuki takes pole position at home

Before arriving in Japan, at the Aragon GP, ​​Izan Guevara won for the fifth time in his career, after the GP of the Americas last year and the GPs of Spain, Catalonia and Germany this year. Guevara's victory at the Aragon GP is the 93rd for Spain in Moto3, which is the most successful nationality in the category, ahead of Italy (48 victories).

Ayumu Sasaki finished second at the Aragon GP for his eighth Moto3 podium, his sixth of the season so far. He is now tied with Ai Ogura as the Japanese drivers with the most podiums in the class. In Alcañiz, Daniel Holgado finished third for his first Moto3 podium, becoming the 25th different Spanish rider to reach the podium in the category.

Sergio Garcia finished 13th at the Aragon GP, ​​which is his worst result since his 18th place at the same Aragon GP last year. With Dennis Foggia in P14 as best Italian rider, it is the first time that there is not at least one Italian in the top 14 of a Moto3 race since Catalunya 2013, where the best Italian rider was Romano Fenati, 15th.

The eight Moto3 races that took place at Motegi were won by seven different riders: Danny Kent (2012), Alex Marquez (2013 and 2014), Niccolo Antonelli (2015), Enea Bastianini (2016), Romano Fenati (2017), Marco Bezzecchi (2018) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (2019). Only Danny Kent (2012) won from pole. As a result, none of the riders on the full-time Moto3 grid won at Motegi in this category and none of them made the podium.

KTM (or KTM-powered machines) have started from pole position at Motegi seven out of eight times since the introduction of Moto3, but have only won three times: 2012 (Kent), 2013 (Alex Marquez), 2018 ( Bezzecchi).

The presentations made, what will these qualifications have in store for us which will determine the starting grid for this sixteenth round of the championship? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Motegi Moto3™	2019	2022
FP1	1'57.240 Lorenzo Dalla Porta	1'57.252 Diogo Moreia
FP2	1'56.742 Andrea Migno	2'09.684 Denis Foggia
FP3	2'08.385 Ai Ogura
Q1	2'09.680 Alonso Lopez	2'11.779 Scott Ogden
Q2	2'09.293 Niccolò Antonelli	2'11.246S Tatsuki Suzuki
Warm up	1'57.782 Tony Arbolino
Course	Dalla Porta, Arenas, Vietti
All time lap record	1'56.443 Hiroki Ono (2016)

Let's go for 15 minutes in this Q1 session which will take place on a wet track.

It is Furusato which signs the reference time in 2.12.749s ahead Tatay. Fellon takes control in 2.12.394s.

Fall ofAji in turn 3

With 5 minutes to go, Fellon is in control ahead of Ogden, Furusato and Garcia.

Tatay takes the lead in 2.12.122s ahead Garcia which improves to 2.12.332s. Fellon and Ogden are the other two who will join Q2

Ogden very fast takes orders in 2.11.779s.

End of Q1 session and Ogden is the fastest in 2.11.779s ahead of Tatay, Garcia and Fellon. These 4 drivers will join the 14 drivers qualified for Q2

Q2 session:

It is Garcia which sets the reference time in 2.12.684s. He is ahead Foggia, Suzuki, Ogden and Tatay.

kick of Munoz in turn 3.

Suzuki takes the lead in 2.12.037s. Garcia, Ogden, Foggia and Tatay bring up the rear of this provisional top5. There are 6 minutes left in this session which takes place in the rain.

Suzuki pushes again and improves in 2.11.246s. He is ahead Garcia, Rossi, Ogden and Masia

kick of Garcia in turn 7.

fellon also makes a mistake.

End of session and pole for Suzuki ahead of Ogden and Garcia.