Motegi MotoGP 2015 Qualifying Results
For 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.
“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.
Completing 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 ROW
1. 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 1’44.216
SECOND ROW
4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Ducati Team 1’44.322
5. Andrea Iannone (ITA) Ducati Team 1’44.436
6. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team 1’44.582
THIRD ROW
7. 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 1’45.067
FOURTH ROW
10. 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 1’45.333
FIFTH ROW
13. 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 1’45.496
SIXTH ROW
16. 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 1’45.724
SEVENTH ROW
19. 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 1’45.843
EIGHTH ROW
22. 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 1’46.179
NINTH ROW
25. 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
