【Lap Record Update】MotoGP Japanese GP Qualifying: Martin Secures Pole Position!

In the qualifying session for the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix held at Mobility Resort Motegi, Jorge Martin set an all-time lap record of 1 minute 42.371 seconds to secure pole position. Marc Marquez followed in second place, with Pedro Acosta in third.

Martin Leads with Record Time, Ogura 11th

In the Q2 session, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) initially took the top spot with an attack, leading Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) by 0.065 seconds. Championship leader Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) then entered the track, improving his time sector by sector with red sectors. He ultimately set a new all-time lap record of 1 minute 42.371 seconds, moving into first place. Notably, Marc Marquez recorded the fastest time in FP1.

Marc Marquez continued to push for a faster time, but a crash at Turn 3 affected his lap, leaving him 0.110 seconds behind Martin in second place. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) secured third place, completing the front row. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) improved his time behind Acosta, earning him the fourth grid spot at the front of the second row.

Alex Marquez finished fifth, followed by Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in sixth. Di Giannantonio lost time in the final sector of his last flying lap. Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) achieved his best qualifying result of the season, securing seventh place in Q2.

Q1 Graduates and Team Strategies for the Race

Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team), carrying the hopes of local fans, topped Q1 to advance to Q2. Early in Q1, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), a winner at Motegi in 2024 and 2025, was leading, but Ogura and Raul Fernandez moved up the order. In the final moments, Fernandez closed the gap to Ogura to within 0.001 seconds, but Ogura held on to the lead. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed during the Q1 session, but the rider was confirmed to be unharmed.

Ogura, advancing to Q2, was unable to improve his time significantly and will start from 11th on the grid. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who had secured a Q2 spot on the first day, finished qualifying in 12th. Fernandez, who graduated from Q1, qualified in eighth, and Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) in ninth. Johann Zarco (Castrol LCR Honda) also crashed, but the rider was unharmed and finished the session in tenth. Bagnaia was eliminated in Q1 and will be forced to start from the back of the grid.

With these qualifying results, championship leader Martin leads Marc Marquez, who is 12 points behind, on the grid as well. Acosta, with nothing to lose, and Bezzecchi, closing in from behind, are also positioned at the front, setting the stage for strategic battles. The Sprint Race is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM JST on Saturday, with the main race commencing at 2:00 PM on Sunday.