Outstanding Martin Lap Breaks Record, Securing Second Pole Position of 2023

tháng 9 29, 2023

Outstanding Martin Lap Breaks Record, Securing Second Pole Position of 2023

In the qualifying session, the Pramac rider displayed an exceptional performance, yet he must maintain his lead against Pecco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi in the Tissot Sprint race.

On Saturday morning at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, the qualifying session was exceptionally fast, with Jorge Martin setting a blistering new lap record at Mobility Resort Motegi. He clocked a remarkable 1:43.198, securing his second pole position in three races as he continues to chase Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team.

However, Martin faces a tough challenge, as Pecco also delivered an impressive performance to secure the second position on the grid, and Jack Miller of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team rejoins the front row at the venue where he last won a MotoGP™ race.

Summary of Q1

Some prominent riders competed head-to-head for a coveted spot in the battle for pole position. Marc Marquez, representing Repsol Honda, was among them and quickly made his move by setting a weekend personal best lap time of 1:44.997, securing the top spot after the initial runs. He was joined by Fabio Quartararo from Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ in the top two positions.

As the session's time was running out, riders returned to the track with fresh tires, and Quartararo was immediately challenged. Raul Fernandez of CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team regained his recent fast form and displaced Quartararo from the top two positions. Joan Mir from Repsol Honda Team also aimed to challenge the leaders but fell short of improving his best effort and crashed on his final attempt.

With the pressure on, Quartararo needed to find a competitive lap time, especially since Fernandez improved his time once again. However, as Quartararo followed Marquez around Motegi, he couldn't improve his position, ultimately settling for 14th place on the grid.

The battle for pole position unfolded as follows:

Marquez and Fernandez secured their spots in Q2, but the standout performance came from Jorge Martin. He burst onto the scene with a blistering initial attempt, clocking a mid-1:43 lap time, followed by an even faster one. His 1:43.198 lap was nearly three-tenths quicker than Brad Binder's Friday lap record, breaking Jorge Lorenzo's longstanding record.

This incredible lap overshadowed strong early performances by Jack Miller and Fabio Di Giannantonio, who found themselves in second and third place on the timing screens after the first runs.

As riders headed out of the pit lane for their final attempts, the big question was whether anyone could challenge Martin's dominance. Pecco Bagnaia made a valiant effort, coming within a tenth of a second before a mistake in the final sector cost him time. This initially moved him up to third place, but his subsequent attempt got even closer, leaving him just 0.171 seconds behind Martin. However, Bagnaia's hopes of surpassing Martin dwindled as he struggled to match his pace while riding on two-lap-old soft tires.

Jack Miller secured a front-row spot for the first time since the British GP, holding onto third place on the timesheets with a late surge of his own.

What does the rest of the grid look like?

Early drama unfolded for Marco Bezzecchi when the Mooney VR46 rider had a dramatic crash on his outlap, sending him through the gravel trap. However, undeterred by the incident, the title contender quickly returned to the pit box and later re-emerged on the track for the second round of qualifying. Bezzecchi demonstrated his determination and secured fourth place on the grid. Joining him on the second row are Brad Binder and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

After advancing from Q1, Marc Marquez followed Jorge Martin closely during the closing stages of qualifying, helping the eight-time World Champion secure the seventh spot on the grid. He will be joined by Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro from Aprilia Racing.

Row four features Johann Zarco from Prima Pramac Racing, along with Raul Fernandez and Pol Espargaro from GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3. The stage is set for an exciting Tissot Sprint event this afternoon, with the race scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time (GMT +9).

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