Marc Marquez fastest on hard rear in extended Japanese MotoGP warm-up
Marc Marquez topped an extended Japanese MotoGP warm-up as riders completed their first laps of the weekend with the reinforced hard rear tyre.
Marc Marquez led an extended Japanese MotoGP warm-up at Motegi as riders completed their first laps of the weekend on Michelin’s hard rear tyre.
Michelin withdrew its soft rear following blistering problems in Saturday’s Sprint. The medium remains available for the grand prix but requires careful management, with Michelin instead recommending the reinforced hard rear.
But the special heat-resistant construction, the same specification available in Austria, wasn't used at all on Friday or Saturday, prompting the extra warm-up time.
Most riders set their fastest lap time on the hard rear this morning, but a final decision on which tyre to race isn't expected until further post-warm-up analysis.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi initially led the way with a 1m 43.559s on the hard rear, before pitting and switching to the medium.
Sprint winner Marc Marquez moved in the opposite direction, setting a best lap of 1m 43.946s on the medium rear but then slashing one-second off that time with the hard.
That was especially impressive given Ducati had struggled relative to Aprilia and Pedro Acosta's KTM on the same tyre last time in Austria.
Bezzecchi, by contrast, was slightly quicker on the medium rear this morning - and still left 0.452s behind the reigning champion.
The Italian had been fastest in final practice on the medium, but off pace when he joined only Jack Miller on the medium in the Sprint.
Marquez used the soft front tyre this morning, while most others used the medium.
Martin also faster on the medium rear
Like team-mate Bezzecchi, pole qualifier and title leader Jorge Martin was also quicker on the medium, matching his Sprint result with third this morning.
The Spaniard also kept the same front tyre, swapping from the hard to medium rear, meaning his quickest medium lap was also set with an older front.
Fermin Aldeguer was the only other rider faster on the medium this morning. All others did their best lap with the hard.
Will the warm-up form mean the factory Aprilias stick with the medium for the Grand Prix while Marquez runs the hard? Time will tell...
Martin is now just seven points ahead of Marquez after suffering soft rear tyre issues and then a post-race penalty on Saturday.
Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo, home hero Ai Ogura, and Honda's Luca Marini, riding in the special 60th anniversary livery for the first time, completed the top six.
Alex Marquez, who has a double long lap penalty to serve this afternoon for taking out Pedro Acosta and Fabio di Giannantonio at Turn 3 of the Sprint, ran away from a fast crash at Turn 12 this morning.
Johann Zarco also crashed in warm-up, then was given a double long lap penalty for trying to restart his bike at the side of the track.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
