Twin ring motegi

Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team: The trials and tribulations of Barcelona and Misano now seem like distant memories for Francesco Bagnaia as the double MotoGP World Champion snatched pole position in the Grand Prix of Japan at the Twin Ring Motegi race course, continuing a weekend that has seen him back to his best.

Joan Mir of Honda HRC Castrol put in a stunner of a round to run the #63 rider from Ducati Lenovo Team close in the battle for pole too, right in contention, but forced to settle for second. Still, that equals his best-ever qualifying round in MotoGP. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, completes the front row at Motegi as he faces down Championship points on Sunday.

Late drama