On Sunday the Ducati Team will line up on the grid for the Grand Prix of Japan, round 15 of the 2015 MotoGP World Championship and the first in a run of three overseas events that will continue on successive weekends with two more rounds in Australia and Malaysia.
The Twin Ring Motegi circuit, the venue for a round of the premier category in Japan since 1999, has a very unusual layout, with a series of long straights followed by tight corners that are a tough test for braking and acceleration performance.
In the past Motegi has proved to be a favourable circuit for the Ducati Team, which has scored some great results here: in particular four wins by Loris Capirossi and Casey Stoner, who clinched his first world title with Ducati in 2007.
Andrea Dovizioso has a good feeling with the Japanese track, and he has stepped onto the podium in all three categories, winning the 125 race in 2004, and taking two of his three career pole positions, including one last year on his Desmosedici GP14, when he finished fifth. Andrea Iannone has also won in Japan, both in 125cc in 2009 and in Moto2 in 2011, and last year he managed to finish sixth with the Pramac Racing Team’s GP14.
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 4th (172 points)
“I have really good memories of Motegi, because I won a strange 125cc race there in 2009 and another one in Moto2 in 2011. For me it’s a great track, even though last year it was a little bit difficult in MotoGP. This year with the Desmosedici GP15 I hope to improve my performance a lot, always providing that my left shoulder doesn’t cause me too much bother under braking!”
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 6th (139 points)
“Motegi is one of my preferred tracks because there is a lot of braking, and this year I hope to be just as fast with my GP15, even though I didn’t have a great feeling at Aragón. We will try and modify the set-up to improve the stability under braking, but in any case I am optimistic about Motegi because I’ve almost always scored good results in MotoGP, including twice taking pole, in 2010 and last year.”
The Twin Ring Motegi
Located in a mountainous area, the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan consists of a 2.5 km banked oval and a classic 4.8 km road course built to international standards. Constructed by Honda as a test facility in August 1997, the road circuit became home to MotoGP in 1999. Twin Ring Motegi, which is around 100 km from Tokyo’s Narita airport and 30 km from Mito, is the venue for the Honda Museum, as well as a safety and riding school, dirt-track and go-kart tracks, a hotel, a restaurant, shops and event halls.
Fastest Lap: Dovizioso (Ducati), 1’44.502 (165.3 km/h) – 2014
Circuit Record: Lorenzo (Yamaha), 1’45.350 (164.0 km/h) – 2014
Best Pole: Dovizioso (Ducati), 1’44.502 (165.3 km/h) – 2014
Top Speed: Pedrosa (Honda), 310.3 km/h – 2013
Track Length: 4.8 km
Race Distance: 24 laps (115.2 km)
Corners: 14 (6 left, 8 right)
Race Start: 2pm (07.00 CET)
2014 Results
Podium: 1. Lorenzo (Yamaha), 2. Marquez (Honda), 3. Rossi (Yamaha)
Pole Position: Dovizioso (Ducati), 1’44.502 (165.3 km/h)
Fastest Lap: Lorenzo (Yamaha) 1’45.350 (164.0 km/h)
Andrea Dovizioso
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP15
Race Number: 04
Age: 29 (born on March 23rd 1986 in Forlimpopoli, Italy)
Residence: Forlì (Italy)
Races: 236 (138 x MotoGP, 49 x 250cc, 49 x 125cc)
First GP: 2001 Italian GP (125cc)
Wins: 10 (1 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
First Win: 2004 South African GP (125cc)
Pole Positions: 16 (3 x MotoGP, 4 x 250cc, 9 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2003 French GP (125cc)
Titles: 1 (1 x 125cc)
Andrea Iannone
Bike: Ducati Desmosedici GP15
Race Number: 29
Age: 26 (born on August 9th 1989 in Vasto, Italy)
Residence: Vasto (Italy)
Races: 174 (47 x MotoGP, 51 x Moto2, 76 x 125cc)
First GP: 2005 Spanish GP (125cc)
Wins: 12 (8 x Moto2, 4 x 125cc)
First Win: 2008 GP of China (125cc)
Pole Positions: 9 (1 x MotoGP, 5 x Moto2, 3 x 125cc)
First Pole: 2008 GP of Malaysia (125cc)
