After a break in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, MotoGP finally returned to Japan, precisely five days after the Aragon GP in Spain.
On the first day of the 16th round of the World Championship, and after finishing in Spain in 11th position, Miguel Oliveira, who has already achieved second place in Moto3 and third place on the podium in Moto2 at the Japanese circuit, made the best of the extra minutes of FP1, since, in the Japanese stage, FP4 was discarded, which meant a first session held in the afternoon in Japan and lasting 1h15 instead of the usual 45 minutes.
With a forecast of heavy rains and winds above 150 km/h for Saturday due to the typhoon Nanmadol that devastates Japan and which will also pass through the Twin Ring Motegi Racetrack, it was essential to finish this Friday in the top ten places of the classification, for this way to secure a theoretical place in the qualification 2.
This was the objective of the pilot from Almada throughout FP1, who used a large part of the session to test options with a focus on his best time. Throughout much of FP1, Miguel Oliveira used medium-medium tires and walked between 8th and 15th positions. However, with about 20 minutes remaining, Hawk, already on medium-soft tyres, climbed to third position with a time of 1m45s193, later improving with 1m45s064, but dropping one place in the standings, precisely behind the World Championship leader, Fabio Quartararo
In the final 10 minutes, and as usual, attacks followed one another and Miguel Oliveira dropped drastically in the standings, but recovered and ended up finishing FP1 in 9th position, with 1m44s743, 0s234 more than the best of the day, Jack Miller, with 1m44s509. It should be noted that the first four places ended the session separated by 68 thousandths…
Therefore, a positive day for Hawk, who most likely assured his presence in Q2, thus guaranteeing a theoretical place in the Top 12 on the starting grid of the Japan GP.
Japan Grand Prix:
Saturday, September 24
FP2 – 02:50-03:35
FP3 – 06:25-06:55
Q1 – 07:05-07:20
Q2 – 07:30-07:45
Sunday, 25th of September
WUP – 02:40-03:00
Race – 07:00
