MotoGP
Published on September 25, 2022 • 07:30 AM by Oléna Champlain

MotoGP Japan Race LIVE: Ducati rejoices with a dominant Miller and cries after Bagnaia's crash, Quartararo extends his lead again

The Japanese Grand Prix is ​​underway at Motegi, the sixteenth round of a particularly competitive MotoGP championship.

Japan

Marc Marquez, who will start his 150th MotoGP race on Sunday, qualified on pole for the first time since the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, 1 days ago, and took his 071rd MotoGP pole. This ends a streak of 63 MotoGP races without a pole for him. All categories combined, this is his 50st pole on what is the 91th start of his Grand Prix career (228%).

Marc Marquez became the ninth different pole-sitter this season, setting a new record for the most different pole-sitters in a premier class season (since poles began to be officially recorded in 1974). This is the first MotoGP pole for Honda from Pol Espargaro at the British GP last year (21 races). The Japanese performance ends the longest streak of successive premier class races without a pole for the Japanese manufacturer since their return to the premier Grand Prix class in 1982.

Johann zarco, who will start his 100th MotoGP race on Sunday, qualified in second position for his fifth front row this season. He will try to achieve his first victory in MotoGP. Thanks to zarco, this is the 36th consecutive race where we find at least one Ducati in the top 3 of qualifying.

Brad Binder qualified in third position and is the driver KTM best placed to achieve his best result in MotoGP. This is also the best qualifying result for KTM from pole position Miguel Oliveira in Portugal in 2020.

Maverick Vinales qualified in fourth position for his second best qualifying result since the start of the season after Silverstone, where he qualified and finished second. He will try to win his first victory with Aprilia.

In Q1, George Martin qualified in fifth position, his best qualifying result since his fourth place in Austria earlier this year. He will attempt to reach the podium for the first time since his second place in Catalonia this season.

Aleix Espargaró qualified in sixth position, which is the 11th time since the start of the season that he has qualified on the first two rows. He will try to take his second MotoGP victory with Argentina this year.

Jack Miller qualified in seventh position, which is the fifth time since the start of the season that he has not qualified on the first two rows. Miguel Oliveira qualified in eighth position, matching his second best qualifying result this year, obtained at the Dutch, where he finished ninth. Indonesia was his best finish, where he qualified seventh and won the race.

fabio quartararo qualified in ninth position, which is the third time since the start of the year that he has not qualified on the first two rows. It is also the first time he has missed the front row in five successive MotoGP races. He will be aiming for victory for the first time since the German GP this year.

Pol Espargaro, who will also start his 150th MotoGP race on Sunday, qualified 11th, his best qualification since his 10th place in Catalonia. He will aim for his first podium since his third place in Qatar.

Francis Bagnaia qualified in 12th position, this is the fourth time this year that he has not qualified on the first two rows of the grid. He will attempt to reach the podium for the sixth consecutive time.

What will this Japanese Grand Prix have in store for us, the sixteenth round of a championship contested by three drivers united in 17 points under the threat of a fourth, 48 lengths behind the leader with five races remaining? Before you know it, here is the table that summarizes the facts known so far...

Motegi MotoGP™

 2019

2022
FP1

1'45.572 Maverick Viñales (See here)

 1'44.509 Jack Miller (See here)
FP2

1'44.764 Fabio Quartararo (See here)

 1'55.232 Marc Marquez (See here)
FP3

1'54.710 Danilo Petrucci (See here)

 CANCELED DUE TO RAIN
FP4

1'48.940 Marc Márquez (See here)

 Not on the Motegi program
Q1

1'46.695 Cal Crutchlow (See here)

 1'55.300 Johann Zarco
Q2

1'45.763 Marc Márquez (See here)

 1'55.214 Marc Marquez
Warm up

1'45.816 Marc Márquez (See here)

 1'45.850 Jorge Martin
Course

M. Marquez, Quartararo, Dovizioso (See here)

 Miller Brad Binder Martin
All time lap record

1'43.790 Jorge Lorenzo (2015)

George Martin was the fastest in Warm Up. The Ducati Pramac Team rider, who clocked 1'45.850, preceded the Yamaha by fabio quartararo and the factory Ducati of Jack Miller et Pecco Bagnaia, behind respectively at 0.285s, 0.306s and 0.347s. Fifth and sixth times for Aprilia Maverick Vinales and the Ducati Gresini ofEnea Bastianini. The Top Ten ends with the pole sitter Marc Marquez who fell from his Honda, fall without consequences, Aleix Espargaró on Aprilia, Johann zarco on Ducati Pramac and Miguel Oliveira on KTM.

Warm up ranking:

22° in the air and 37° on the dry track are the conditions proposed for the 24 laps to be covered in this Japanese Grand Prix which will not experience rain. Here are the live images.

Joan mir is not here today, he has to skip the Japanese GP due to injury. Suzuki named the test pilot Takuya Tsuda, who was supposed to start with a wildcard anyway, replacing the last home GP before leaving MotoGP.

Good news comes from the weather: clear skies in Motegi, we will see a dry race, this will make it easier to return to school bagnaia et bastianini (respectively 12th and 15th on the starting grid).

Marc Marquez takes a tender in the back. He is the only one of the leading men, the others being divided between the medium and the tough. This tough guy is up front for everyone. Aleix Espargaró enters the stand. He has a problem with his Aprilia.

The start is given, Martin, Brad Binder, Marc Marquez are the first three. zarco is seventh, Quarterly ninth. bagnaia 11th

Miller is in the lead after two laps in front Martin, Binder, Oliveira et Mark. Quartararo is 8st, bagnaia 11th in front bastianini. These two don't do each other any favors.

Marini pass Quarterly.

Here is the choice of tires.

Image

zarco dark he is 13th. Quarterly is 8th. bagnaia is 10th in front Bastianini. Miller leads the race ahead Martin, Oliveira, Binder et Marc Marquez. Casa Particular in Viñales is 6th. Aleix Espargarò is 23rd behind Nakagami.

In the eighth round, Miller leads the dance with 7 tenths on Martin. Olive tree two seconds behind the two Ducati riders. Then Marquez et Casa Particular in Viñales, now 1,5 seconds behind Marc. bagnaia very close to Pol Espargarò for 9th position. Miller is currently in the lead on double hard tires, meaning the Australian could maintain this leading pace by the end of the race.

Miller dominates at will, setting the fastest lap and beating Martin by 3,8 seconds. Tsuda explodes the engine of his Suzuki…

bastianini trying to close the gap of one second on Quartarararo, who is currently recovering points from all his rivals for the title. Alex Espargarò is 20th, the points zone is still far away but not inaccessible.

Darryn binder fall at turn 9. bastianini carries its distance with Quarterly to 7 tenths. During this time Marini attack and overtake Vinales. Miller still alone in the lead with 4 seconds ahead of Martin, Marc Marquez 5th behind Olive tree.

At Aprilia they are investigating the electronics problem that Aleix Espargaró had during the reconnaissance lap, now the Spaniard is 19th after a slow return from last position.

Quarterly approached Viñales and attacked him for seventh position, bastianini still trying to close the gap on the Frenchman. alex rins stops at the pits. Miller still dominates.

Brad Binder et George Martin receive a warning for exceeding the runway limit too often. Miller leaves no hope to his rivals and continues his escape alone, Quarterly always pursuing Casa Particular in Viñales, but now bastianini et bagnaia reduce the gap on the Frenchman who could become prey for both. There are 5 rounds left... bagnaia also receives the runway limit warning.

bagnaia attack and overtake Bastinini. Pecco in this phase wants to launch the attack on Quarterly which precedes both. Aleix Espargarò exceeded Di Giannantonio and is 17th, but he will hardly be able to enter the points zone. Miller always 1st with detachment. Marc Marquez pass Olive tree. He is 4th.

bagnaia quickly moved towards the tail of Quarterly and could attack him in this turn. In the last round Bagnaia falls.

Under the checkered flag, Miller wins in Japan in front of an excellent Brad Binder, Martin, Marc Marquez, Oliveira, Marini, Casa Particular in Viñales et Quarterly who saves the furniture. bastianini is ninth, Bezzecchi closes the top 10. Aleix Espargaro is 16th. zarco is eleventh.

fabio quartararo is leading the championship, 18 points ahead Pecco Bagnaia who was 10 behind Motegi and 25 behind Aleix Espargaró who was 17 points behind Japan. Bastianini is 49 lengths away instead of 48. The Yamaha rider is doing a very good job. There are 4 races left... 

Ranking :

Japan

Credit classification motogp.com