We left Motegi under the deluge, with a Grand Prix interrupted last year for security reasons, and we found it under a sky that was still very gray. The rain, forecast for a good part of the weekend, made its appearance at the end of the Moto3 session on Friday and continued to tease the MotoGP players throughout the morning.
When the big guns of the premier category entered the scene, the slick tires were perfectly capable of filing down the tarmac, but the return of a light rain after barely a quarter of an hour quickly pushed everyone to take shelter. Beforehand, Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia had broken away from the clock and were running in the low window of 1’45, followed by two Ducatis from last season, driven by Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marc Márquez.
There were barely ten minutes left when the pack came out, taking advantage of a lull that would, however, be very brief. The downpour having resumed immediately, few remained on the track for more than one lap and the countdown slowly ticked down to the checkered flag. Author of the best time in 1’45″209, Bagnaia was only able to complete six flying laps, like Martín who posted a tenth more on his time after this brief test gallop.
The day will continue with a second one-hour session, contested from 3 p.m. local time (8 a.m. French time) and which should, whatever happens with the weather, prove to be more active. It will in fact designate the ten drivers automatically qualified for Q2, with a guaranteed place on one of the first four rows of the starting grid for the two races of the weekend.
Remember that this Japanese Grand Prix, 16th of the 20 rounds of the season, takes place in the presence of 23 drivers. Miguel Oliveira is indeed absent after breaking his wrist last weekend in Indonesia, and his place at Trackhouse is taken by Lorenzo Savadori, Aprilia test driver. Yamaha, for its part, has given a wild card to Remy Gardner.
Japanese GP MotoGP – Free Practice 1
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