Motegi MotoGP qualifying
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That's all from Saturday at Motegi and an exciting race has surely been set up for us.
Thanks for your company this morning, and do join us again on Sunday for more MotoGP action from Japan.
Thanks for your company this morning, and do join us again on Sunday for more MotoGP action from Japan.
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Morbidelli: "Conditions were not ideal..."
Yeah, no kidding.
Yeah, no kidding.
Crutchlow's fifth is his best Saturday result of the year, showcasing just how difficult it has been for the LCR rider on that 2019-spec Honda.
Morbidelli is being pushed down pitlane. Helping in the effort is Moto3 rider John McPhee.
To add to the Morbidelli praise, this is the first time he's been top Yamaha rider. Meanwhile, team-mate Quartararo tallies up his ninth front row start.
Shoutout to Morbidelli. That's just the third time this year he's outqualified Quartararo this year, and it's his best qualifying result since he was second on the grid at Jerez.
Really good effort by the SRT duo in the end. Both are the only two riders within two tenths of poleman Marquez.
The top 12 is completed by Morbidelli, Quartararo. Vinales, Crutchlow, Miller, Dovizioso, Petrucci, Aleix Espargaro, Rossi, Rins, Mir.
Marquez takes pole at Motegi. He now has pole positions in the MotoGP class at all current circuits on the calendar.
Morbidelli up to second, 0.132s outside of Marquez. Quartararo up to third.
Crutchlow stays fifth.
Quartararo and Morbidelli on good laps now as well. Marquez is coming under threat.
Stopwatch
Marquez finds time on his last lap. 1m45.763s. Crutchlow's lap has gone away from him.
Checkered flag
Chequered flag is out. Crutchlow on a charge here.
Vinales was fastest through sector two, but lost a massive amount of time in the third split. Marquez only just outside of his best effort on this lap.
Morbidelli back up to the front row in third. Quartararo pushed back to fourth.
Petrucci tucks into his Ducati team-mate Dovizioso's wheeltracks and jumps up to fifth, while Aliex Espargaro goes seventh. Solid by the Aprilia rider.
Vinales goes second, 0.296s off of Marquez's benchmark. Petrucci on a quick lap now too.
Vinales has lost time in the third sector, but this is still a good lap.
Quartararo crosses the line and moves up to second.
Good lap coming in here from Quartararo.
Vinales fastest through sector one now.
Quartararo only a tenth down on Marquez after sector one.
Everyone heading back out on track now for their second run. Can anyone usurp Marquez in the next four minutes?
Replay showed Marquez all out of shape coming into Turn 11. A byproduct of the RC213V's dodgy engine braking, but it doesn't seem to faze Marquez, because he is not human.
Marquez, Miller, Morbidelli, Quartararo, Dovizioso, Rins, Crutchlow, Petrucci, Vinales, Aleix Espargaro, Rossi, Mir is the top 12 with six minutes to go.
Rossi not doing anything special thus far. He's only 11th and 1.2s off the best Yamaha rider, which is Morbidelli in third at the moment.
Stopwatch
Miller moves up to second, but Marquez improves to a 1m45.794s.
Miller is on a good one now.
Disappointing run from Crutchlow so far. Only 12th after the first few laps of this session.
Quartararo goes second, cutting Marquez's advantage to 0.857s.
Stopwatch
Marquez is just messing around here. He fires in a 1m45.923s to go 1.1s clear.
Red sectors absolutely everywhere.
Stopwatch
Marquez sets the pace with a 1m46.980s. Mir and Quartararo complete the top three.
Bit of a moment for Vinales as he rounds the first few corners.
Back to Crutchlow: conditions are fairly warm, and the the stiffer construction of the medium tyre will provide more stability under braking - useful at this track. That Honda also doesn't turn very well, so perhaps this is Crutchlow looking to recoup the time he'll lose in the turns on the way into them.
Even more interestingly, Marquez has never had a MotoGP pole at Motegi. Frankly, this obviously proves he can't be considered one of the greatest of all time...
Interestingly, Crutchlow has gone out on a medium front tyre.
By: Matt Beer
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