While most of Europe was asleep, the MotoGP™ action got underway on Friday in east Asia for another edition of the Japanese Grand Prix at the Mobility Resort Motegi. The Red GASGAS RC16 shined in both Friday’s sessions, with Augusto Fernandez taking an impressive P2 in FP1, while in the afternoon’s practice, it was Pol Espargaro who was in the highlights as he finally took his first Q2 ticket of the season, a great reward for the Spaniard and all his team.

First it was 0.028 seconds from Q2 at home in Barcelona. The next week in Misano, it was an even narrower gap of 0.024 seconds that separated Espargaro from heading directly to Q2. But it appears that Japan was the one in the end! Pol Espargaro finally got that so-wanted direct ticket to Q2 at the end of Friday’s practice, meaning that he will be guaranteed to start both Tissot Sprint and the main race from the first four rows for the first time since his return to racing. Conditions were a bit more welcoming to the riders on Friday morning, with just 28 degrees outside, much better than the approximate 45 of the past week in India. In Free Practice 1, fourteen riders finished less than one second from each other, with Pol Espargaro closing the dance in P14, with a best in 1’46.181, registering at the same time FP1’s fastest speed with 313.9 km/h. In the afternoon practice, he had already improved on his third lap his time from FP1, and then on his fourth lap he was already in 1’45.510, at a similar rhythm than the likes of brother Aleix Espargaro and Jorge Martin. When the time attack came around, Pol was able to pull out a brilliant 1’44.219 with a bit of help from fellow Pierer Mobility rider Binder, and Bezzecchi. But this is finally a Q2 ticket for the number 44, and for the first time this season, the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 rider will not have to go through pre-qualifying on Saturday morning, and will be able to fully focus on Q2.

Rookie Augusto Fernandez also returned on track full of new hopes after a disappointing end to his Indian GP campaign last Sunday. Boy, he came back in full power after he took second of Friday morning’s session, with a best in 1’45.330 (+0.138 secs) after putting on the soft tyres for the last laps to train for the afternoon’s time attacks. That was a first for the rookie, a great achievement, although he was logically going to be caught by the rest of the riders. In Practice, he switched to medium tyres to focus a bit more on the race pace, but feelings did not appear to equal those from the morning. In the time attack, he seems to lack a bit of confidence on his RC16, and his time in 1’45.231 placed him in P19. He will have to take part in a busy pre-qualifying on Saturday morning at 10:50 local time (GMT+9), against the likes of Marc Marquez and Fabio Quartararo.