10:03 – Our LIVE chronicle of the MotoGP qualifications at Motegi ends here, thank you for following them with us. Stay tuned to GPOne for all the statements of the protagonists directly from the paddock and do not forget today’s appointment with our Sport Bar. Stay Tuned!
9:59 – Marc Marquez returns to pole position after a break that lasted from 2019 and right from the Motegi stage, where the Spaniard took his last pole before facing the terrible injury at Jerez in 2020. A pole undoubtedly propitiated by the rain , but which shows how intact the class of Spanish is. Zarco took second place on the starting grid, after passing through Q1.
Third time for Brad Binder, who manages to relegate Vinales to the second row in the final. Fifth Martìn, with Aleix Espargarò finishing 6th and best on the track among the title contenders. Seventh box for Miller in front of Oliveira, also victim of a fall, while Quartararo will start from 9th position. Fourth row opened by Luca Marini in front of Pol Espargarò and the negative surprise of the day. In fact, Pecco Bagnaia only finished 12th, who was unable to find the right confidence with his Ducati in the wet.
9:52 – Checkered flag, Binder snatches the front row from Vinales. The pole is for Marc Marquez ahead of Zarco. Here is the ranking.
9:50 – Zarco improves but remains 2nd. Now Vinales is very fast, who could climb the rankings. Maverick closes 3rd with a fantastic front row!
9:48 – Zarco pushes to try to snatch the pole from Marquez, Bagnaia suffers a lot instead, who is now 12th and last of this Q2.
9:47 – Marquez files his reference by another 5 tenths. Right now he is doing another sport. Zarco 2nd, Miller 3rd on Oliveira who is still 4th despite the crash.
9:46 – Marquez is scoring other red helmets in the first sectors, Jorge Martìn is also improving now. The track seems faster, red helmets also for Miller and Oliveira. Yellow flag in the third sector, perhaps a driver has fallen. Fallen Oliveira!
9:45 – Nice step forward by Aleix Espargarò who marks the 5th time right in front of Quartararo. Bagnaia returns to the pits and changes bikes.
9:43 – Oliveira third now ahead of Brad Binder. Only 11th Bagnaia, while Aleix Espargarò is 10th.
9:42 – Marquez takes back the lead, let’s take a look at the ranking. But Zarco answers immediately!
9:41 – The French respond, with Zarco 1st ahead of Quartararo. Johann has the advantage of having passed through Q1. However, Marquez is improving the references of rivals in the first sectors.
9:40 – The two Aprilia in front of everyone, but after a while Marquez arrives and sets the new benchmark. Marc will be the toughest customer of all for those who want to win this pole!
9:39 – Soon the first references, the pilots are completing the first flying lap.
9:38 – Aprilia in tandem with Espargarò following Vinales.
9:37 – At the moment it is not raining at Motegi, the riders are all on the track to take advantage of conditions that could deteriorate very quickly.
9:35 am – Green light, Q2 starts in Motegi. Bagnaia immediately on the track.
9:34 – Special observed Marc Marquez, who could also dream of a pole here. This morning he had been the best in the wet ahead of Martìn and Miller.
9:32 – Look for the concentration Bagnaia, who this morning in the wet was not particularly brilliant.
9:28 – The images of the fall of Enea Bastianini
9:25 – The checkered flag waves on this Q1 in Motegi, the two drivers of Pramac Zarco and Martìn pass the turn. The ranking
9:24 – Bastianini also loses the third position with Bezzecchi and Morbidelli passing him in the standings. Tomorrow he will start only 15th and Alex Marquez is improving further.
9:23 – Fallen Bastianini, who probably has to say goodbye to his chances of passing the turn when there are just 2 minutes to the checkered flag of Q1.
9:22 – Zarco scores the best time, while Bastianini makes a big leap forward and marks the 3rd time. All the drivers continue to run without stopping in the pits. Long for Aeneas who must abandon this attempt.
9:20 – Bezzecchi improves and is third ahead of Morbidelli, the two Pramacs still in front. Bastianini in trouble, he is now 9th which would lead him to start from 19th position on the grid if he fails to improve.
9:19 am – Yellow flag in the third sector, a fall for Darryn Binder.
9:18 – Zarco marks the second time, now it is the two Pramac drivers who are qualified. Meanwhile, Nakagami is ready to get back on track.
9:17 – A look at the ranking, now Martìn leads the dance ahead of Morbidelli. Zarco if, however, he is improving.
9:14 – Mordidelli immediately the fastest ahead of Martìn and Zarco. Fall for Nakagami, first victim of the rain.
9:12 – It will be a real struggle of nerves on the track, no one will be able to make mistakes. Whoever manages to find the right sensations faster in these conditions that seem even more complex than those experienced in FP2 will pass the turn. Morbidelli launches for his first lap, probably the riders will stay on track for the whole session. Those who pass the round will also have a small advantage in Q2, already knowing the grip of the track well.
9:11 – Green light, Morbidelli is the first to enter the track in this Q1 conditioned by the rain.
9:09 – It seems that the situation has improved and that Q1 can regularly start at 9:10 Italian time, so very soon.
9:01 – The Safety Car with Uncini in Capirossi is making some laps of the track.
9:00 – Nothing to do! It is raining heavily again in Motegi, the MotoGP session has been further delayed and at the moment there is no time for the green flag in the pitlane.
9:00 – The green light in the pitlane for Q1 is about to go off, this is the list of drivers who will play for access to Q2.
8:42 – The official communication from Dorna has arrived, the Q1 of the MotoGP will start at 9:00 Italian time.
8:32 – At 8:38 the pitlane will reopen to allow Moto2 to complete qualifying and after that it will be the turn of Q1 and Q2 MotoGP.
8:02 – Hello and welcome to our LIVE news of the MotoGP qualifications. The intensity of the rain forced the commissioners to display the red flag during the Moto2 qualifying and to decide to cancel the MotoGP FP3s. At the moment there is no precise time for Q1, we will update you in real time on the evolution of the situation.
Rain was expected and there was rain this morning in Motegi’s MotoGP FP2, with the riders having to deal with a totally flooded track that mixed up the values on the field. A scenario that allowed Marc Marquez to emerge with all his amphibious talent after having got the better of Martìn and Miller and who showed how uphill the road can be today for the three containing the title.
Fabio Quartararo in fact closed FP2 in 10th position ahead of Aleix Espargarò, while it went even worse for Pecco Bagnaia, only 15th at the end of the session. At least all three today will not have to go through the stumbling block of Q1, which instead will have to face a Bastianini this morning quite at ease in the wet.
Our LIVE qualifying report will kick off at 8:05 with Q1, Stay Tuned!
