Jorge Martin seems intent on continuing to try to put pressure on Pecco Bagnaia and the best way to do this is to stay in front of him. Which the Prima Pramac Racing standard bearer also did in qualifying for the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, scoring his 11th pole position in the premier class.
The Madrilenian showed off a truly sensational lap in the first run of Q2, a 1’43″198 which earned him the new Motegi track record and which no one was able to concretely challenge in the 15 minutes available.
The pressure game, however, seems to be at least mutual, because Martin’s direct pursuer is the world championship leader Bagnaia. The Ducati rider “missed” the first run of qualifying, but then responded a few moments before the checkered flag, clocking a 1’43″369 which took him into second position, 171 thousandths from pole.
Completing the front row we find a surprise, but up to a certain point, because it is a Jack Miller who seems reinvigorated by the new KTM carbon frame. However, it is fair to remember that last year, when he was still riding a Ducati, the Australian had literally dominated in Japan, so he particularly likes this track.
Given how Q2 began, Marco Bezzecchi’s fourth place on the grid is something of a miracle: in the first run he ended up spinning at turn 12 in a rather disastrous manner even on the out lap. Which forced him to change bikes and also use a medium tire on the front. The driver of the Mooney VR46, however, did not give up and managed to climb up to fourth place, missing the front row by just 73 thousandths.
KTM’s progress with the carbon frame is also highlighted by Brad Binder’s fifth place on the grid. And we will absolutely need to pay attention to the South African, who has now accustomed us to being above all a racing animal, even when he starts from far behind. From the second row, therefore, he could be very dangerous.
The real surprise of these qualifications is without a doubt Fabio Di Giannantonio. After gaining direct access to Q2, the Gresini Racing rider placed his Ducati on the second row, with an excellent sixth time. Therefore, there are four Ducatis occupying the first six positions on the grid.
The only Japanese bike to have managed to conquer Q2 is Marc Marquez’s Honda. After passing the Q1 cut, the eight-time world champion tried to exploit Martin’s hook, but was unable to do better than seventh fastest, just over six tenths behind the poleman.
We therefore have to go down to eighth position to find the best of the Aprilias, which was that of Maverick Vinales. Indeed, the two official RS-GPs complete the third row, with Aleix Espargaro also setting a time almost identical to that of his teammate: the two Spanish riders are separated from each other by just 7 thousandths.
The list of riders who had access to Q2 is completed with Johann Zarco’s Ducati, with Raul Fernandez’s Aprilia RNF, which arrived in the decisive segment of qualifying for the third race in a row, and with Pol Espargaro’s GasGas Tech3.
The first of those excluded at the end of Q1 was Augusto Fernandez, who in the end was therefore the only KTM rider who was unable to gain access to Q2. The GasGas Tech3 rider was out by just 80 thousandths.
Among those excluded, however, there are also some luxury names like that of Fabio Quartararo, with the Yamaha rider who saw his best lap canceled for going beyond the track limits and will therefore be forced to deploy his M1 in 14th position, with India’s podium already seeming like a distant memory for “El Diablo”, still a little sore from yesterday’s fall.
Similar story for Joan Mir, who will complete the fifth row with his Honda. The Majorcan was also excluded by just over a tenth and at the end he also crashed at turn 6, due to a front lock, while he was engaged in the last attempt to improve.
At Aprilia RNF, however, it is becoming a trend that sees Raul Fernandez ahead of Miguel Oliveira, because for the second time in a row the Spaniard has achieved Q2, while the Portuguese will have to settle for 16th place on the grid, right in front of the other Franco Morbidelli’s Yamaha and Takaaki Nakagami’s Honda LCR.
The seventh and last row (Ducati riders Luca Marini and Alex Marquez are absent due to injury) is reserved for the test riders, with the wild card Cal Crutchlow who with his Yamaha got the better of Stefan Bradl, who returned today on the Honda LCR after Alex Rins gave up yesterday with a leg that was still too painful, and on Michele Pirro, still called upon to get on the official Ducati in place of the injured Enea Bastianini.
Q2 ranking
Q1 ranking
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