MotoGP Japan - Race Results
Dani Pedrosa claims his first win of the season at a wet Japanese MotoGP, while late drama saw Jorge Lorenzo lose second place to team-mate and title rival Valentino Rossi.
Lorenzo dominated the first half of the race, with Rossi three-seconds behind. But both Yamaha riders began to struggle with front tyre wear, leaving them defenseless against a charging Pedrosa.
Rossi stuck with the Honda rider as he closed down Lorenzo, the Italian taking second place when the #99 ran wide with 5 laps to go.
Lorenzo runs wide! Rossi takes second place #JapaneseGP #MotoGP race pic.twitter.com/THhSKnA7cj-- Crash.net MotoGP (@crash_motogp) October 11, 2015
Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez was racing for teh first time surgery on a fracture to his left hand, sustained in a mountain bike accident. Lorenzo had sprained his left shoulder in a minibike accident.
Factory test riders Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Yamaha) and Takumi Takahashi (Honda) were making wild-card appearances for their home round, with countryman Kousuke Akiyoshi in place of the injured Karel Abraham...
1.Dani PedrosaESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)46m 50.767s2.Valentino RossiITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)46m 59.340s3.Jorge LorenzoESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)47m 2.894s4.Marc MarquezESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)47m 18.608s5.Andrea DoviziosoITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15)47m 25.852s6.Cal CrutchlowGBR LCR Honda (RC213V)47m 28.030s7.Bradley SmithGBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)47m 28.434s8.Katsuyuki NakasugaJPN Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1)47m 35.421s9.Hector BarberaESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open)47m 39.339s10.Scott ReddingGBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)47m 40.888s11.Aleix EspargaroESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)47m 51.302s12.Takumi TakahashiJPN Team HRC (RC213V)47m 51.978s13.Nicky HaydenUSA Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS)48m 2.028s14.Yonny HernandezCOL Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2)48m 4.663s15.Mike Di MeglioFRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open)48m 6.188s16.Alvaro BautistaESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)48m 11.274s17.Eugene LavertyIRL Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS)*48m 21.991s18.Stefan BradlGER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)48m 37.600s19.Kousuke AkiyoshiJPN AB Motoracing (RC213V-RS)48m 50.839s20.Toni EliasSPA Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)+1 lap
Pol EspargaroESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)DNF
Jack MillerAUS LCR Honda (RC213V-RS)*DNF
Maverick Vi?alesESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)*DNF
Loris BazFRA Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)*DNF
Andrea IannoneITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15)DNF
Danilo PetrucciITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2)DNF
Blue Name = Factory - Official MotoGP ECU hardware, unique manufacturer software.
20 litres of race fuel, 5 engine changes for the season. All engines identical throughout the year within the same team (development freeze).Black Name = Factory (with concessions) - Official MotoGP ECU hardware, unique manufacturer software.
Applicable to Factory entries by a manufacturer that did not achieve a dry win in 2013 (Ducati) or any new MotoGP manufacturers (Suzuki and Aprilia).
22 litres of race fuel for Ducati, 24 litres for Suzuki and Aprilia. Same 12 engine changes, softer rear tyre, no engine development freeze and extra testing opportunities as the Open Category. Fuel and soft tyre can change depending on top three results.Red Name = Open - Full official MotoGP ECU, hardware and software.
24 litres of race fuel, 12 engine changes, softer rear tyre, no engine development freeze and greater testing opportunities relative to Factory.* Rookie