Japanese MotoGP, Motegi

All free practice sessions were cancelled due to visibility problems grounding the medial helicopters. The extended qualifying session – of 1hr 15mins, with a traditional rather than knock-out format – was thus the very first MotoGP action of the weekend.

Qualifying was held in fully wet conditions.

A 50-minute free practice session will take place on Sunday morning, instead of the usual warm-up, followed by the race in the afternoon.

Honda LCR’s Stefan Bradl is making his second return attempt after fracturing his ankle at Sepang, while Yamaha test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga is competing as a wild-card.

Yonny Hernandez continues to replace Ben Spies at Pramac Ducati, with Damian Cudlin taking over from Hernandez at PBM and World Supersport-ace Scassa replacing the injured Karel Abraham at Cardion AB.

CLICK HERE for pictures from the grand prix…

1. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 53.471s (Lap 24/25)

2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 54.129s (26/27)

3. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team (GP13) 1m 54.539s (26/29)

4. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 54.542s (20/28)

5. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 54.732s (28/29)

6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP13) 1m 55.036s (25/25)

7. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 1m 55.135s (24/26)

8. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 1m 55.610s (20/28)

9. Aleix Espargaro ESP Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) 1m 55.719s (19/27)

10. Yonny Hernandez COL Ignite Pramac Racing (GP13) 1m 55.998s (27/30)

11. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 56.058s (23/25)

12. Katsuyuki Nakasuga JPN Yamaha YSP Racing Team (YZR-M1) 1m 56.125s (23/25)

13. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 57.114s (17/23)

14. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 1m 57.297s (25/25)

15. Andrea Iannone ITA Energy T.I. Pramac Racing (GP13) 1m 57.347s (26/26)

16. Danilo Petrucci ITA Came IodaRacing Project (Suter-BMW CRT)* 1m 57.540s (28/29)

17. Randy De Puniet FRA Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) 1m 57.715s (23/24)

18. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 1m 57.994s (22/22)

19. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT) 1m 58.540s (25/26)

20. Luca Scassa ITA Cardion AB Motoracing (ART CRT) 1m 58.802s (25/25)

21. Claudio Corti ITA NGM Forward Racing (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 1m 59.617s (26/26)

22. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 1m 59.646s (25/27)

23. Damian Cudlin AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART CRT)* 2m 0.982s (23/23)

DNQ:

Bryan Staring AUS Go&Fun Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT) 2m 2.712s (25/25)

Lukas Pesek CZE Came IodaRacing Project (Suter-BMW CRT)* 2m 2.932s (20/21)

* Standard ECU.

Official Motegi MotoGP records:

Best lap:

Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha 1m 44.969s (2012)

Fastest race lap:

Dani Pedrosa ESP Honda1m 46.090s (2012)

Be there! CLICK HERE to see ticket prices for the remaining rounds of the 2013 MotoGP World Championship from the Official MotoGP Ticket Store.

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