Practice report

MotoGP Japanese GP: Binder tops second practice as KTM threatens Ducati dominance

KTM rider Brad Binder leads the way in a dry second session at Motegi

Brad Binder was fastest for KTM Factory Racing in second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi today, while Ducati-mounted title rivals Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia also booked their spots in Saturday’s Qualifying 2.

With Pedro Acosta (Tech 3 KTM) fourth-fastest in the dry second session, there was some indication that Ducati will not have it all its own way this weekend. The KTMs showed they can give the Italian bikes a run for their money on top speed, an important metric at this circuit.

Eight-time world champion Marc Marquez (Gresini Ducati) clocked a late flier to go second-quickest, 0.033s shy of Binder’s 1m43.436s lap.

This was despite the Spaniard appearing frustrated and animated in the garage for much of the day, which began with an inconclusive damp squib of a Free Practice 1.

Martin (Pramac) was third quickest, with his nearest championship chaser Bagnaia (Ducati Team) only seventh.

Enea Bastianini, the rider third in the world championship standings, lost the front end of his Ducati at a high speed halfway through the session.

While the Italian walked away from the Turn 14 crash unscathed, his bike tumbled through the gravel and sustained a fair degree of damage. He did well to return to action before the chequered flag and ensure he would be in Q2 with the fifth-fastest time.

Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) was sixth-quickest ahead of Bagnaia, Alex Marquez (Gresini) and VR46 Ducati duo of Fabio di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi.

Home rider Takaaki Nakagami, racing in Japan for the last time as a full-time MotoGP racer, had his LCR Honda inside the top 10 until the very final minute, but was bumped down to 12th at the last.

A frustrated Jack Miller (KTM) was unable to capitalise on the RC16's pace after crashing inside the last five minutes, and had to settle for 11th place on the timesheets.

Franco Morbidelli (Pramac) and Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha Factory Racing) rounded out a top 14 that was covered by a single second.

MotoGP Japanese GP - Second practice results:

1 - 2
Cla	Rider	#	Bike	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h	Speed Trap
1	B. Binder Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	33	KTM	22	1'43.436		167.094	313
2	M. Marquez Gresini Racing	93	Ducati	21	+0.033 1'43.469	0.033	167.041	308
3	J. Martin Pramac Racing	89	Ducati	24	+0.132 1'43.568	0.099	166.881	311
4	P. Acosta Tech 3	31	KTM	22	+0.147 1'43.583	0.015	166.857	314
5	E. Bastianini Ducati Team	23	Ducati	19	+0.169 1'43.605	0.022	166.822	312
6	M. Viñales Aprilia Racing Team	12	Aprilia	22	+0.284 1'43.720	0.115	166.637	311
7	F. Bagnaia Ducati Team	1	Ducati	20	+0.318 1'43.754	0.034	166.582	315
8	A. Marquez Gresini Racing	73	Ducati	22	+0.597 1'44.033	0.279	166.135	312
9	F. Di Giannantonio Team VR46	49	Ducati	20	+0.646 1'44.082	0.049	166.057	310
10	M. Bezzecchi Team VR46	72	Ducati	25	+0.773 1'44.209	0.127	165.855	311
11	J. Miller Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	43	KTM	20	+0.803 1'44.239	0.030	165.807	310
12	T. Nakagami Team LCR	30	Honda	25	+0.822 1'44.258	0.019	165.777	308
13	F. Morbidelli Pramac Racing	21	Ducati	22	+0.890 1'44.326	0.068	165.669	310
14	F. Quartararo Yamaha Factory Racing	20	Yamaha	24	+0.965 1'44.401	0.075	165.550	306
15	A. Espargaro Aprilia Racing Team	41	Aprilia	18	+1.034 1'44.470	0.069	165.440	313
16	J. Mir Repsol Honda Team	36	Honda	20	+1.234 1'44.670	0.200	165.124	309
17	J. Zarco Team LCR	5	Honda	18	+1.249 1'44.685	0.015	165.101	311
18	R. Fernández Trackhouse Racing Team	25	Aprilia	17	+1.258 1'44.694	0.009	165.086	312
19	A. Fernandez Tech 3	37	KTM	17	+1.433 1'44.869	0.175	164.811	310
20	A. Rins Yamaha Factory Racing	42	Yamaha	21	+1.514 1'44.950	0.081	164.684	309
21	L. Marini Repsol Honda Team	10	Honda	23	+1.682 1'45.118	0.168	164.420	308
22	L. Savadori Trackhouse Racing Team	32	Aprilia	19	+2.427 1'45.863	0.745	163.263	308
23	R. Gardner Yamaha Factory Racing	87	Yamaha	22	+3.280 1'46.716	0.853	161.958	307
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