Yamaha’s Jorge LorenzoFor the fourth time in the 2015 MotoGP Championship, Jorge Lorenzo has earned the pole position. The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1’s latest pole arrived at Twin Ring Motegi ahead of the 2015 Japan Grand Prix.The top Motegi MotoGP 2015 qualifying results are needed as Lorenzo looks to garner his third premier-class title. As the series heads to Motegi for round 15 of 18, Lorenzo, who is riding with an injured shoulder due to a training crash, trails teammate Valentino Rossi by 14 points.
But Rossi wasn’t far behind; the nine-time world champion qualified second, 0.081 of a second Lorenzo. The factory Yamaha prototypes were untouchable at Motegi; the next closet bike was 0.345 of a second behind Rossi. This was the Repsol Honda RC213V piloted by two-time reigning MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez, who completes the front row.Lorenzo’s pole was also on record pace; he destroyed the previous record set by Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso by over seven-tenths of a second. Lorenzo was also the top rider during Motegi MotoGP Friday free practice.“I did the maximum and I am very happy with my pole position. The humidity that came in the last hour also didn’t help me to enter the corners with confidence like I could in the morning. I struggled a little bit, trying not to crash, but I gave my all and it‘s a good lap time,” Lorenzo says.Rossi, who has one win at Motegi (2008, Yamaha), wanted the pole, but was satisfied with Saturday’s progress ahead of Sunday’s 24-lap race.Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi“We hoped to get the pole, but it didn‘t happen. It‘s a shame, because getting a pole position doesn‘t happen very often, especially not to me. On the other side, I‘m very satisfied about today‘s progress,” Rossi says.“Already this morning we made good improvement with the team, but the important step came this afternoon when I was consistently fast in the fourth free practice session. I was confident for qualifying and we used a good strategy and I was in the right place. Unfortunately I made a small mistake, but it was OK and I hope I can be competitive enough tomorrow to fight with Jorge.”Marquez earned the third sport while riding with a broken pinky; this was his 13th front-row start.Heading up row two is Dovizioso, who was 0.532 of a second behind Lorenzo. He will be joined by fellow factory Ducati GP15 pilot Andrea Iannone, who finished 0.646 of a second. Taking the final second-row start is Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.Qualifying seventh was Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Aleix Espargaro, who benefited from being able to use the extra soft rear tire. Joining Espargaro on the third row are LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow and Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith who crashed twice. The Brit wrecked at turn 5 and the turn 12 after also crashing in FP3, but still managed to complete five laps in the qualifying session.Honda’s Marc MarquezCompleting the top 10 is the other Suzuki GSX-RR pilot, Maverick Vinales, who made it to Q2 from Q1 along with Marc VDS Racing’s Scott Redding, who starts from 12th.As for the sole American in 2015 MotoGP, Aspar MotoGP Honda’s Nicky Hayden will start from 21st. Hayden will depart from MotoGP at the end of 2015; the 2006 MotoGP Champion (Ducati) has signed with Ten Kate Honda to compete in 2016 World SBK.MotoGP reports that E-Motion IodaRacing Team’s Alex De Angelis had earlier brought out the red flag in FP4 as he crashed heavily between turns 9 and 10 and was airlifted to Dokkyo Hospital for treatment.
Motegi MotoGP 2015 Qualifying Results
FRONT ROW1. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1’43.790 2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1’43.871 3. Marc Marquez (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’44.216SECOND ROW4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati Team 1’44.322 5. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ducati Team 1’44.436 6. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’44.582THIRD ROW7. Aleix Espargarò (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 1’44.809 8. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) CWM LCR Honda 1’44.932 9. Bradley Smith (GBR) Monster Yamaha Tech3 1’45.067FOURTH ROW10. Maverick Viñales (SPA) Team Suzuki Ecstar 1’45.081 11. Pol Espargarò (SPA) Monster Yamaha Tech3 1’45.219 12. Scott Redding (GBR) Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS 1’45.333FIFTH ROW13. Stefan Bradl (GER) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’45.432 14. Yonny Hernandez (COL) Octo Pramac Racing 1’45.438 15. Katsuyuki Nakasuga (JPN) Yamaha Factory Racing Team 1’45.496SIXTH ROW16. Alvaro Bautista (SPA) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1’45.608 17. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) Octo Pramac Racing 1’45.691 18. Hector Barbera (SPA) Avintia Racing 1’45.724SEVENTH ROW19. Takumi Takahashi (JPN) Team HRC with Nissin 1’45.743 20. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aspar MotoGP Team 1’45.751 21. Nicky Hayden (USA) Aspar MotoGP Team 1’45.843EIGHTH ROW22. Jack Miller (AUS) CWM LCR Honda 1’46.039 23. Loris Baz (FRA) Forward Racing 1’46.048 24. Mike Di Meglio (FRA) Avintia Racing 1’46.179NINTH ROW25. Toni Elias (SPA) Forward Racing 1’46.256 26. Kousuke Akiyoshi (JPN) AB Motoracing 1’47.760 27. Alex De Angelis (RSM) E-Motion IodaRacing Team 1’48.192
Motegi MotoGP 2015 Qualifying Results – Photo Gallery
Our first segment introduces you to the new Arch 1s. This latest, slightly more sporting American V-twin, adds to the original KRGT1 coming from the boutique manufacturer based in Hawthorne, Southern California. Senior Editor Nic de Sena rode through Malibu with Gard Hollinger, who co-founded Arch Motorcycle with his friend, Keanu Reeves. The 1s is a unique ride for sure, and Nic explains what makes the bike really stand out.
For the entertaining story behind Arch Motorcycle from Gard Hollinger himself, you must listen to his podcast episode on Motos & Friends HERE
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The guest segment of Motos and Friends is brought to you by the faster and most technologically advanced, 2023 Suzuki Hayabusa—visit your local dealer or suzukicycles.com to learn more.
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In our second segment, Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with multiple Emmy award-winning writer, Producer, Director, and actor, Thom Beers. the former Chairman & CEO of Fremantle Media North America, responsible for American Idol and America’s Got Talent.
Thom’s fertile imagination led to most of the really big reality TV shows such as ‘Deadliest Catch’ (now in its 17th season!), and many others. Of course for us in the motorcycle world, you’ll be interested to hear the genesis and story of how he started the first real fabrication reality show ‘Monster Garage’, that showcased Jesse James, and then how that led to ‘Biker Build Off’ and the ‘Zombie Choppers’ movie.
You’d imagine that most of Thom’s time is spent sitting behind a desk and on his phone. Not so. His intense stories of capturing much of the content for these shows make for some hair-raising listening.
