Jorge Lorenzo overcame team-mate Valentino Rossi to take pole for the Japanese MotoGP at the Twin Ring Motegi.
The two Movistar Yamaha riders engaged in something of a shootout during the 15 minute session, after Rossi had broken the qualifying record with a 1:44.22s on his first run.
Lorenzo jumped clear when he became the first man to lap Motegi in the 1:43s early in his second run, but it looked like Rossi had done enough when he went faster again after the chequered flag.
That was until Lorenzo rewrote the record books yet again, sizzling to a 1:43.79s, nearly three tenths faster than his quickest practice lap set in FP3.
Lorenzo had topped all the preceding practice sessions, despite suffering a shoulder injury in a training accident the weekend prior.
The factory Yamahas finished the session more than three tenths clear of next-best Marc Marquez, while Andrea Dovizioso, Andrea Iannone, Dani Pedrosa, Aleix Espargaro, Cal Crutchlow, Bradley Smith, and Maverick Viñales, completed the top ten.
Australian Jack Miller will start from 22nd in the LCR Honda.
Alex de Angelis was taken to Dokkyo Hospital after a major crash during FP4, prior to qualifying.
He was conscious and breathing according the medical team after crashing between Turns 9 and 10.
See below for full qualifying results
1 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo | Yamaha | 1’43.790 | – |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 46 | Valentino Rossi | Yamaha | 1’43.871 | 0.081 |
3 | 93 | Marc Márquez | Honda | 1’44.216 | 0.426 |
4 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 1’44.322 | 0.532 |
5 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | Ducati | 1’44.436 | 0.646 |
6 | 26 | Daniel Pedrosa | Honda | 1’44.582 | 0.792 |
7 | 41 | Aleix Espargaró | Suzuki | 1’44.809 | 1.019 |
8 | 35 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | 1’44.932 | 1.142 |
9 | 38 | Bradley Smith | Yamaha | 1’45.067 | 1.277 |
10 | 25 | Maverick Viñales | Suzuki | 1’45.081 | 1.291 |
11 | 44 | Pol Espargaró | Yamaha | 1’45.219 | 1.429 |
12 | 45 | Scott Redding | Honda | 1’45.333 | 1.543 |
13 | 6 | Stefan Bradl | Aprilia | 1’45.432 | 1.642 |
14 | 68 | Yonny Hernández | Ducati | 1’45.438 | 1.648 |
15 | 21 | K.Nakasuga | Yamaha | 1’45.496 | 1.706 |
16 | 19 | Álvaro Bautista | Aprilia | 1’45.608 | 1.818 |
17 | 9 | Danilo Petrucci | Ducati | 1’45.691 | 1.901 |
18 | 8 | Héctor Barberá | Ducati | 1’45.724 | 1.934 |
19 | 72 | Takumi Takahashi | Honda | 1’45.743 | 1.953 |
20 | 50 | Eugene Laverty | Honda | 1’45.751 | 1.961 |
21 | 69 | Nicky Hayden | Honda | 1’45.843 | 2.053 |
22 | 43 | Jack Miller | Honda | 1’46.039 | 2.249 |
23 | 76 | Loris Baz | Yamaha Forward | 1’46.048 | 2.258 |
24 | 63 | Mike Di Meglio | Ducati | 1’46.179 | 2.389 |
25 | 24 | Toni Elías | Yamaha Forward | 1’46.256 | 2.466 |
26 | 64 | Kosuke Akiyoshi | Honda | 1’47.760 | 3.970 |
27 | 15 | Alex de Angelis | ART/Aprilia | 1’48.192 | 4.402 |