MotoGP News: Qualifying Results From the 2015 Grand Prix of Japan

Movistar Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo enjoyed an incredible duel with Rossi during the 15-minute Q2 session, eventually coming out on top by just 0.081s. The Spaniard, who has topped every session so far at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, ended up setting the fastest ever lap by a MotoGP bike around the 4.8km Twin Ring Motegi despite the cloudy and cool conditions (track temp. 25˚C). Lorenzo set a 1'43.790 on his final flying lap, knocking over seven-tenths off Andrea Dovizioso's 2014 pole record (1'44.502). The man who trails Rossi by just 14 points in the standings utilized a two-stop strategy after experiencing some front-end issues on his first run.

Valentino Rossi knew he had to put in a good qualifying performance to not let Lorenzo get away at the front during Sunday's race, after Lorenzo has led from flag to flag during his six wins this season. The Italian managed to take over a second off his best time in practice to start from second on the grid in only his fourth front row start of the season and best qualifying performance since Assen. It was also the first time the Movistar Yamaha team have managed a 1-2 in qualifying this season and the two teammates were the only ones to break the 1'44 barrier.

Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez (+0.426s) impressed despite riding with a broken bone in his left hand to finish third fastest. It is the 13th time this season the reigning MotoGP champion has been on the front row.

The Ducati Team duo of Andrea Dovizioso (+0.532s) and Andrea Iannone (+0.646s) were next up in fourth and fifth respectively as they made use of an extra set of aerodynamic winglets on their GP15's and the extra soft tire. It was Dovizioso's best qualifying performance since the Catalan GP, while Iannone showed no ill effects of his re-dislocated shoulder to start from the second row for the sixth time this season.

Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa (+0.792s) will start from the back of the second row after improving his time best time from practice by over 1.3 seconds in Q2. It is the third consecutive time that the Spaniard has lined up on the second row of the grid this year.

Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Aleix Espargaro was seventh as he also benefitted from the extra soft tire, ahead of Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) on the leading Satellite bike in eighth. Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Bradley Smith will start from 9th, despite crashing twice during the session. The Brit went down at turn 5 and the turn 12 after also crashing in FP3, but still managed to complete 5 laps in the session.

Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completed the top ten after making it through from Q1 along side EG 0,0 Marc VDS’s Scott Redding, who will start from 12th.

Wildcard Katsuyuki Nagasuka (Yamaha Factory Racing Team) will start from 15th, with Hector Barbera on the Avintia Racing Ducati the leading open class rider in 18th. Aspar MotoGP Team's Eugene Laverty and Nicky Hayden will start from 20th and 21st respectively as just 0.092s separated the teammates.

Japanese GP Qualifying Results
1. Jorge LORENZO (99) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP YAMAHA
2. Valentino ROSSI (46) Movistar Yamaha MotoGP YAMAHA
3. Marc MARQUEZ (93), Repsol Honda Team HONDA
4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO (4) Ducati Team DUCATI
5. Andrea IANNONE (29) Ducati Team DUCATI
6. Dani PEDROSA (26) Repsol Honda Team HONDA
7. Aleix ESPARGARO (41) Team Suzuki Ecstar SUZUKI
8. Cal CRUTCHLOW (35) CWM LCR Honda HONDA
9. Bradley SMITH (38) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA
10. Maverick VIÑALES (25) Team Suzuki Ecstar SUZUKI
11. Pol ESPARGARO (44) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA
12. Scott REDDING (45) EG 0,0 Marc VDS HONDA
13. Stefan BRADL (6) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini APRILIA
14. Yonny HERNANDEZ (68) Pramac Racing DUCATI
15. Katsuyuki NAKASUGA (21) Yamaha Factory Racing Team YAMAHA
16. Alvaro BAUTISTA (19) Aprilia Racing Team Gresini APRILIA
17. Danilo PETRUCCI (9) Pramac Racing DUCATI
18. Hector BARBERA (8) Avintia Racing DUCATI
19. Takumi TAKAHASHI (72) Team HRC with Nissin HONDA
20. Eugene LAVERTY (50) Aspar MotoGP Team HONDA
21. Nicky HAYDEN (69) Aspar MotoGP Team HONDA
22. Jack MILLER (43) CWM LCR Honda HONDA
23. Loris BAZ (76) Athinà Forward Racing YAMAHA
24. Mike DI MEGLIO (63) Avintia Racing DUCATI
25. Toni ELIAS (24) Athinà Forward Racing YAMAHA
26. Kousuke AKIYOSHI (64) AB Motoracing HONDA
27. Alex DE ANGELIS (15) Octo IodaRacing Team ART