It is no longer big news when Jorge Lorenzo takes pole position for a MotoGP race, but the performance of his Yamaha teammate earlier today was noteworthy. Valentino Rossi qualified second, and less than 1/10th of a second behind Lorenzo. Rossi feels he can challenge Lorenzo for the win even if tomorrow’s race is dry (there is rain in the forecast).
The Yamaha duo were in a class of their own … nearly 1/2 a second clear of Marc Marquez (Honda) in position three. The Ducatis of Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Ionnone qualified in fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Stay tuned for our report on tomorrow’s race.
YES YES YES YES YES!!!!
YES YES YES the DVR played over coffee this morning. Once again an exiting nail biter of a race. LOVING this season. BTW only 50K showed up at the track for the race… I thought Indy attendance was low.
Welp, looks like mickey won’t be needing any little blue pills tonight.
I wouldn’t bet against either rider. Lorenzo IS faster, and won the wet 2013 race at Motegi. And Rossi is …. Rossi!
The number of top riders who have been crashing out this season really does speak to how close to the edge they are pushing it, right from the first lap. Any race this season has the chance of a contending rider crashing out and upsetting the poinrts race. Or worse yet a rider crashing out and taking out someone who is in contention for the championship…
Great racing, but nail biting at the same time!
Anyone else have the feeling this could be the pivotal race of the season?
Rossi does not want to let Lorenzo win races, chip away at the lead, and add another chapter to the “Lorenzo is faster, Rossi is craftier” narrative.
Lorenzo does not want to get trounced in the rain again, adding to the “Jorge can only win when everything is perfect” narrative. This would be particularly hard to swallow if Rossi beats him in the dry, at a track on which Lorenzo has dominated. Also, if Rossi wins this race the championship is all but his, barring a catastrophic result somewhere in the final three races.
And this one is in Japan, home to most of the major factories. This is going to be good.
Can’t decide if I want to stay up and watch it at 1 am or wait until 8 am tomorrow morning. Don’t know if I can wait lol