Motegi MotoGP: Top 5 quotes after qualifying
Yamaha MotoGP's Valentino Rossi delighted the Japanese crowd when he secured the pole for tomorrow‘s Grand Prix of Japan
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
| Pos. | # | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46 |  Valentino Rossi |
Yamaha | 1'43.954 | |
| "It‘s my third pole position of the year. I‘m very happy because this year in qualifying I‘m strong. We were struggling during this weekend to find the right balance and I‘m also not a 100% fit, I‘m suffering physically, I‘m not feeling fantastic. In FP4 we improved the balance of the bike a lot and I did a very good lap and great braking in turn 11 and that was good. Starting from pole is always important and now we wait for tomorrow." | |||||
| 2 | 93 |  Marc Marquez |
Honda | 1'44.134 | 0.180 |
| “Getting pole would’ve been the best thing for a Saturday, but I’m happy with second place because this circuit is one at which I had expected to struggle a bit more. As it turns out, we’re doing pretty well and have ridden at a good pace throughout the weekend. This afternoon the first run went well enough, but when I took my second bike out I made a small mistake at turn 11 during the first flying lap. I had a last possibility to try to improve but I saw the yellow flag where Crutchlow had just crashed and I slowed down.” | |||||
| 3 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo |
Yamaha | 1'44.221 | 0.267 |
| "I feel much better than a few hours ago. The painkillers and the adrenaline of riding my bike have improved my feelings. I was scared to get injured, especially for the left leg where I had the biggest impact. It was a big crash, but I was able to make it back for qualifying and we did great, especially on the first lap time in my second stint, I didn‘t do so much on the second try. Rossi‘s lap time was incredible and also Marquez‘s time. It wasn‘t possible to make it a pole position, but it was much better than we expected when I arrived back at the track." | |||||
| 4 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso |
Ducati | 1'44.294 | 0.340 |
| “I’m very happy with the lap time I set in qualifying: I did a really great lap and I’m also pleased with the job me and my team have been doing at this circuit. Fourth place is OK for me, because on this circuit it’s not much of a disadvantage to start from row 2. In FP4 we always kept up a good pace, but we are all pretty close and we will only see in the race who has worked the best. Our speed over the lap is in line with the quickest guys and the only question mark regards the possibility of keeping up the same pace for 24 laps.” | |||||
| 5 | 35 |  Cal Crutchlow |
Honda | 1'44.402 | 0.448 |
| "Again I think it was a bit of a missed opportunity to get onto the front row, I made a small mistake under braking trying to push to make up for the lack of acceleration and the speed of our bike this weekend. We are doing a good job as a team though, I’m very happy with how we are working and how I’m riding at the moment. I’m looking forward to a good race on Sunday, not only do we need to do a good job for the LCR team but also for Honda and try and help them out in the constructor’s championship if we can. I have to step up a little with Dani Pedrosa being absent. As I said yesterday, we hope that Dani comes back soon, it’s a shame that he’s not here to race this weekend.” | |||||
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