- 2022-09-25
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ MotoGP Japanese: Marc Marquez Takes Pole Position at Rainy Motegi Twin Ring Circuit
The Round 16 of MotoGP 2022, Motul Grand Prix of Japan took place at Motegi Twin Ring Circuit in Motegi, Japan on September 24, 2022.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) took pole position at Motegi after a 90-minute delay to the schedule due to heavy rain.
It is his first pole position in three years since the 2019 Japanese GP.
Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) advanced to Q2 from Q1 and took 2nd position behind Marc Marquez by 0.208 seconds.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) took 3rd position with 1'55.537s. It is his first front row start in MotoGP.
Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) was 4th behind Brad Binder by just 0.083 seconds. Jorge Martin (Pramac Ducati) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) will start on 2nd row, following Maverick Viñales.
Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Yamaha) will start on 3rd row.
The previous winner Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati) crashed in Q1 and finished 15th. While the previous race runner up Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) will start at 12th.
Marc Marquez said, “Of course, I'm really happy to come back to the pole position. It's only pole position, it's in the wet, but in the situation we are in, with the team and Honda, struggling a lot, it's really good news for us. We need this small achievement, this small motivation and fresh air inside the box. I tried to attack and I did a good lap, I didn't exaggerate [over-ride the bike] and it was enough to be in pole position. Also in the wet I feel the weak points of the bike less and I can take profit from that situation. But tomorrow [in the dry] will be a different story. We will come back to our natural place, right now. Of course, I would like to be in the top, I would like to fight for the podium, I would like to fight for the top five. But it's not the time. Always when I have a small chance, I will try. Because it’s my character and the same as when I arrived in MotoGP. But tomorrow will be a very long race. I already feel on Friday that I will struggle to be consistent and attack in all the laps. But we will see. My opponents don't understand on Friday how I was riding! I mean, if the race is 10 laps I will say ‘OK, yes the level is there, the speed is there’. But for 24 laps of the race, I'm not ready. I already understand on Friday that I'm not ready to attack all the laps and then I need to be calm because in Aragon I was able to ride like I want and keep constant. But here the problem is I cannot use all my energy in the first laps. In the wet yes, because today I confirmed that my arm position was in a perfect way and I was able to brake like I want, go in, pick up the bike and I'm very happy about that. I can in ride in wet conditions better than dry because the effort of the muscles is less and I was able to keep my arm position as I like. Then in dry conditions everything becomes more difficult because still I'm not ready to attack all the laps.”
Motul Grand Prix of Japan Qualifying Results- Marc Marquez / Repsol Honda / 1'55.214s
- Johann Zarco / Pramac Ducati / +0.208s
- Brad Binder / Red Bull KTM / +0.323s
- Maverick Viñales / Aprilia Racing / +0.406s
- Jorge Martin / Pramac Ducati / +0.472s
- Aleix Espargaro / Aprilia Racing / +0.557s
- Jack Miller / Ducati Lenovo / +0.570s
- Miguel Oliveira / Red Bull KTM / +0.681s
- Fabio Quartararo / Monster Yamaha / +1.112s
- Luca Marini / Mooney VR46 Ducati / +1.140s
- Pol Espargaro / Repsol Honda / +2.140s
- Francesco Bagnaia / Ducati Lenovo / +2.159s
- Marco Bezzecchi / Mooney VR46 Ducati / 1'55.934s
- Franco Morbidelli / Monster Yamaha / 1'56.006s
- Enea Bastianini / Gresini Ducati / 1'56.13s
- Fabio Di Giannantonio / Gresini Ducati / 1'56.432s
- Alex Marquez / LCR Honda / 1'56.578s
- Alex Rins / Suzuki Ecstar / 1'56.656s
- Tetsuta Nagashima / HRC Team / 1'57.229s
- Remy Gardner / KTM Tech3 / 1'57.288s
- Takuya Tsuda / Suzuki Ecstar / 1'57.787s
- Raul Fernandez / KTM Tech3 / 1'57.827s
- Cal Crutchlow / WithU Yamaha RNF / 1'58.115s
- Darryn Binder / WithU Yamaha RNF / 1'58.292s
- Takaaki Nakagami / LCR Honda / 1'58.717s
Photo by MotoGP- source : MotoGP
