For the 16th round of a 2024 MotoGP season which includes 20, the action resumes with this FP1 on the Twin Ring of Motegi, owned by Honda, in Japan, a country still predominant for the motorcycle industry.
More than a simple Excel table, our graph allows you to immediately see the highlights of the current season, in particular the breakaway of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) et Francesco Bagnaia
(Ducati Lenovo Team), enemy brothers of the category who, little by little, free themselves from the duo composed of Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) et
Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo
Team).
Certainly, with still a maximum of 185 points to register, theoretically even Pedro Acosta
(Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) could be titled, but in the absence of an unfortunate event, the title should be played out with the same two protagonists as last year, separated for the moment and for a while, by around twenty points. For the 3rd step of the final podium, it is even closer, the two contenders barely being more than the fingers of one hand apart from each other.
The two men are themselves detached in front of the trio composed of Pedro Acosta, Brad
Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory
Racing), et Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing), the two future teammates opposing each other in an internal struggle for the “first non-Ducati” place, but also “first KTM”…
For the rest, just look at the table, while noting that in Indonesia our two representatives, Fabio Quartararo (Monster
Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team) et Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) scored the same number of points, 9, a figure shared with Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).
To write the sixteenth chapter of this 2024 MotoGP season, it will be necessary to cover the 4,801 meter route 12 times during the Sprint on Saturday and complete 24 loops on Sunday, on a track with a very “stop and go” layout well known to Michelin.
As a result, braking is very demanding and
Brembo displays a difficulty index of 6 out of 6 for the Japanese track, with turns 1, 5, 10 and 11 in particular putting the braking systems to the test. As every year, ventilated carbon discs are compulsory, in 340 or 355 mm, just like in Spielberg (Austria) and Buriram (Thailand).
Among current full-time pilots, Marc Marquez holds the greatest number of victories (3xMotoGP™, 1xMoto2™, 1x125cc) ahead of its brother (1xMoto2™, 2xMoto3™), and the greatest number of podiums in the premier category (7). .
The records are set in 1’43.198 (Jorge
Martin) in 2023 and “only” 317.6 km/h for the speed (Enea Bastianini) in 2022 due to the short straight of 762 meters!
In terms of weather forecasts, we know the different adventures caused by the particular climate of Japan this season, and without going back to the typhoons or the canceled sessions, we remember the shortened race last year. This edition promises to be as usual with high temperatures, without being sheltered from showers…
Moreover, it rained last night and this morning the mist covered the circuit but the trajectories dried out during the Moto3 FP.
As a wildcard, Remy Gardner is added to the usual list of starting riders, a further sign of Yamaha’s current efforts.
Kazutoshi SekiYamaha Factory Racing Test Team Leader: “We are very happy to have this wild card for the Japanese GP. Yamaha’s mission is to accelerate the development of its motorcycles and return to victory. This wild card is in line with the overall goal: we want to collect as much useful data as possible to support the current Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP riders as well as the new team and riders who will join Yamaha in 2025. Remy Gardner already knows the 2024 YZR-M1 and the Yamaha Factory Racing Team, as well as the Motegi circuit, and so we are confident that the partnership will go off without a hitch this weekend. »
Lorenzo Savadori replaces Miguel Oliveira injured at Trackhouse.
While waiting to discover more, as the 23 drivers prepare for this first 45-minute free practice session, under a still gray sky but with fairly high morning temperatures of 24° in the air and 29° on the ground, let’s enjoy these few live moments thanks to the official MotoGP.com website:
Here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.
| MotoGP™ Japan, Motegi | 2023 | 2024 |
| FP1 | 1’45.192 Jorge Martin (See here) | 1’45.209 Francesco Bagnaia (See here) |
| Practice | 1’43.489 Brad Binder (See here) | (See here) |
| FP2 | 1’44.622 Marco Bezzecchi (See here) | (See here) |
| Q1 | 1’43.997 Marc Marquez (See here) | (See here) |
| Q2 | 1’43.198 Jorge Martin (See here) | (See here) |
| Sprint | Martin, Binder, Bagnaia (See here) | (See here) |
| Warm Up | 1’46.047 Jack Miller (See here) | (See here) |
| Course | Martin, Bagnaia, M.Marquez (See here) | (See here) |
| Record | 1’43.198 Jorge Martin (See here) |
When the red lights go out… Franco Morbidelli and Alex Rins are the first to set off on the track while Fabio Quartararo sticks to his strategy of leaving last.
In terms of tires, as is now becoming systematic, everyone is on medium at the rear while the soft and medium options are chosen for the front.
At the end of the first round, Maverick
Vinales registered 1’47.774 ahead Johann Zarco, Jack Miller, Joan Mir and Alex Márquez.
In the next passage, it is the local Takaaki Nakagami who leads the way in 1’46.223 ahead Joan Mir, Alex Márquez, Johann Zarco and Jack Miller : Honda drivers are quick to make their mark…
Jorge Martin then took matters into his own hands in 1’45.318 ahead Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez, Alex Márquez and Marco Bezzecchi.
From there, while we are already at the same times as last year’s FP1, the times stabilize, especially as the “raindrops” flags are waved…
But that doesn’t prevent Francesco Bagnaia to take command in 1’45.209 before the end of his first run.
The hierarchy is then composed of Francesco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Marc Márquez, Jack Miller, Marco Bezzecchi, Joan Mir, Johann Zarco, Maverick Vinales, Enea Bastianini, Alex Márquez, Takaaki Nakagami, Pedro Acosta, Aleix Rins, Aleix Espargaro, Brad Binder, Fabio Quartararo, Franco Morbidelli, Luca Marini, Raul Fernandez, Augusto Fernandez, Lorenzo Savadori and Remy Gardner.
With half an hour left in the session, silence falls on the circuit, no more motorcycles being on the track either wet or dry.
We then learn from the mouth of Francesco Guidotti what Pedro Acosta runs today on a new chassis that Brad Binder
didn’t like it during the test in Misano.
The minutes pass while the commissioners take the opportunity to give us another demonstration of flag handling…
We take the opportunity to observe the special decoration of the helmet of
Takaaki Nakagami.
The drops turn into very fine rain and we see the drivers testing the grip of the asphalt and the white lines with the sole of their boot in the pit lane.
As the last quarter of an hour approaches, to pass the time, MotoGP.com is offering live broadcasts for free:
With 11 minutes left, Luca Marini, Fabio Quartararo Jack Miller, Raul Fernandez and Marco Bezzecchi
all decide at the same time to get back on the trail.
Little by little, almost all the other drivers follow suit, everyone on slicks.
The white flags with red crosses are still waved, calming everyone’s ardor, and for information, Jorge
Martin runs in 1’55.384, or 10 seconds slower than in the dry.
Silence falls again on the circuit and we can therefore consider the session finished, 6 minutes before its deadline.
This first confrontation obviously leaves us with a taste for too little but, even in these conditions, the first names on the list remain the strong men of the championship…
See you at 8:00 a.m. for Practice!
FP1 MotoGP standings for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi:
Ranking credit: MotoGP.com
MotoGP Japan FP1
MotoGP Japan FP1
