There was a single qualifying session due to weather. Jorge Lorenzo is on pole. Marc Marquez will start second despite going off the road. He can take a win for Honda at home and win the title. Nicky Hayden gets his best start since Jerez last year. Stefan Bradl broke his ankle last time out. Kazuki Nakasuga is the wildcard rider in this race. Bryan Staring and Lukas Pesek have to start at the back of the grid.
It's the warmup lap. The championship could be decided. Dani Pedrosa has to earn nine points more. If Marquez wins, he gets th title. Lorenzo has to work hard to stay in it. An extnded morning warmup took place and of course, Marc Marquez had a huge crash. His right shoulder is sore. This track was built by Honda in 1997. It's a tough track. 24 laps scheduled. Marc Marquez is in the middle of the front row. Jorge Lorenzo is on pole with Nicky Hayden third. Here we go for the penultimate race of the championship.
At the start, Marquez does a wheelie and Marquez takes Pedrosa. It's Lorenzo and Rossi first and scond. Aleix Espargaro is up to fifth on a CRT bike. Andrea Ianonne is off the road. Marc Marquez knows exactly what Jorge Lorenzo will do. He'll pull away. They come through the V curve. Nicky Hayden has dropped down to tenth spot. Marc Msrquez is ahead of Dani Pedrosa, coming into the Victory chicane. Aleix Espargaro is losing spots.
Kazuki Nakasuga is hanging in there. He's a wildcard rider. Marquez closes on Valentino Rossi into turn five. Rossi and Lorenzo had a huge battle in 2010 at this track. They come to the 90 degree corner another time. Valentino Rossi runs wide allowing both Repsol Honda's of Marquez and Pedrosa up to second and third. The Honda's will chase after Jorge Lorenzo and Rossi can't help his team mate. Lorenzo runs a 1:46.2 which is the fastest lap of the weekend by anyone.
Valentino Rossi will try again. But he doesn't have the steam to keep up with the Honda's. Marc Marquez is pulling the gap back to Lorenzo, to fight him for the win. Rossi has more trouble in the V Curve. He gives up a spot to Kazuki Nakasuga. His right foot peg is broken. 1:45.628 is the fast lap for Marquez as Stefan Bradl is fourth with a broken ankle. Bradley Smith and Cal Crutchlow are moving up on the Tech 3 Yamaha's.
Rossi continus. But both Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa are beginning to catch up. Dani Pedrosa will play a part in this race. hre's no doubt about that. Jorge Lorenzo is on a softer option compound while Marc Marquez is on a harder tire from Bridgestone. Maybe Lorenzo changed the type of tires he decided to run. Marquez is pushing and Lorenzo does have the second soft option. We thought we'd find the Yamaha's battling Honda. 1983 MotoGP champion Freddie Spencer, looks on. Marc Marquez could take the mantle from Spencer of being the youngest MotoGP champion ever.
No need to make a move yet. Run the pace. Back through the V corner and into the hairpin. Lorenzo rides defensively to hold off Marc Marquez. Alvaro Bautista is running well and is trying to hold off Alvaro Bautista. Bautista goes past Bradl for fourth. Bradl has a broken ankle. He's riding hurt. This is interesting as Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith battle. Crutchlow will go to Ducati next year and Smith will stay on the Tech 3 Yamaha. Valentino Rossi is fighting his way back as Andrea Dovizioso is chasing Crutchlow and Smith.
When will the fireworks happen? Stay tuned to find out. This race isn't over yet. Bautista and Bradl are six seconds behind the leaders who are covered by a blanket. If this remained the same, the title fight would go to the season finale in Valencia, Spain. Dani Pedrosa is the key man here. They fly down the straight and Lorenzo continues to push with the two Honda's behind. Claudio Corti crashes his bike and Damien Cudlin goes by. Lorenzo is being pressured by Marquez. Marc Marquez might make a move soon.
Pedrosa cleared out Nicky Hayden in 2006 at the Estoril circuit in Portugal. The race will reach halfway. Twelve laps complete. Twelve to go. Through turn four and five, Marquez is looking at Lorenzo. He's planning something. But, Jorge Lorenzo rarely makes mistakes. These are the three best riders in the world. Lorenzo continues to hold firm at the front. When will something happen? Something is bound to. Will Marquez make a move? Marquez wants to have the championship done and dusted.
Now, Aleix Espargaro throws himself off his bike, having no brakes. Colin Edwards will be top CRT bike. Marquez goes inside but can't make it stick. Ten laps remain now. This has been some race. Pedrosa's lap times are dropping a couple tenths as Alvaro Bautista has gained an advantage on Stefan Bradl. Marc Marquez needs Dani Pedrosa and can't get him to come forward. So, the championship will go down to the wire.
Ten laps left now. Marquez is running wide now. He's outbraked himself again. He sometimes goes too deep on the brakes. Pedrosa can't match the pace as Lorenzo sets a personal best lap of this race. Marc Marquez remains with him. This has been one heck of a season watching Marquez and Lorenzo. Six laps remain now. Jorge Lorenzo is stretching the margin out to a second over Marquez. Yamaha is taking the fight to Honda on Honda's home turf.
Jorge Lorenzo has to be careful because a lapped rider is in the way. Damien Cudlin. Lorenzo and Marquez, both clear Cudlin. Marc Marquez has to settle down. He has to realize that he'll finish second. Claudio Corti is another lapped rider who is holding up the leaders. Four laps to go. It is now going to be a two man race for the title. Pedrosa is out of it. Jorge Lorenzo is putting in a brilliant ride. This is special. We didn't know the Yamaha was going to race this well in Japan, again, at Honda's house.
Nicky Hayden closes on Andrea Dovizioso. Another top ten for Ducati with the team mates battling for position. Kazuki Nakasuga is going to finish eleventh. Next year, Colin Edwards will race in CRT, but teaming with Aleix Espargaro at Paul Bird Motorsport. Damien Cudlin will be called by race direction and the stewards will want to have a chat with him. Marquez knows in this race, he's been bettered by Lorenzo.
Will he still be the world champ? We'll have to wait for Valencia in two weeks. Lorenzo has memories of Assen, Sachsenring, and Laguna Seca. Jorge Lorenzo is going to win with just a lap remaining. Lorenzo has led this race from flag to flag. It's the final lap for this race at Twin Ring Motegi. Lorenzo is telling Marquez through his performance, "this is how you ride a motorcycle if you want to be world champion, sunshine." Jorge Lorenzo will earn his 51st career win.
Lorenzo wins it!
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha
One more race to go this season, back in Europe at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, coming up in two weeks. The championship is still alive. It's a two man race. Lorenzo vs. Marquez. Can't wait. It's going to be a wicked season finale, fans.
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