MotoGP: Binder tops Friday practice at Motegi

KTM’s Brad Binder beat Motegi’s long-standing lap record to top Friday practice times for the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix.

A harsh sun beat down on the 4.8 kilometers of Mobility Resort Motegi as the Japanese Grand Prix got underway.

Two sessions of practice saw the MotoGP field continually improve their times, the 2015 lap record falling during the afternoon.

An absolute showstopper from Brad Binder saw Jorge Lorenzo’s 2015 Motegi lap record fall by over three-tenths thanks to the South African’s 1:43.489 at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan.

It proved an electric session to end the opening day’s runs in Round 14, with the lead trio in the Championship chase all securing safe passage through to Q2.

Binder, who debuted a new carbon fiber chassis on the RC16, will lead the grid into super Saturday, but he has some elite company. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) spent the majority of the session outside the top 10, but the reigning World Champion delivered when it mattered most in the closing stages to jump up to P2 on the timesheets.

Three different manufacturers are in the top three, as Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro put in the third quickest lap of the day having found some good pace in the afternoon.

Washed up Marquez falls yet again

Washed up Marc Marquez (who crashes almost every session now) was among the late fallers at Motegi as well, with the eight-time World Champion going down at Turn 1 while in pursuit of a flying lap. Instead, he is facing down the barrel of Q1, along with 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo, who went down at Turn 6 earlier in the session.

Friday Practice – Japanese Grand Prix