MotoGP Japan: Lorenzo wins pole with Rossi close behind
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MotoGP Japan: Lorenzo wins pole with Rossi close behind

MotoGP Japan: Lorenzo wins pole with Rossi close behind

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(AGI) Rome, Oct 10 - Jorge Lorenzo won pole position in theMotoGP of Japan on Saturday, recording the best lap and thebest time for the circuit, winning all four free sessions. TheYamaha rider stopped the clock at 1'43"790 on the Twin RingMotegi circuit, in his last fastest lap, snatching the polefrom Valentino Rossi by only 0.081 seconds. Lorenzo took thelead over all the rest for the 60th time in his career (the34th in MotoGP and the season's fouth after Spain, CzcechRepublic and San Marino) although he did not appearenthusiastic about the result. Lagging behind Rossi in theworld championship ranking by 14 points, Lorenzo was hoping todistance his team-mate and be better positioned for Sunday'srace. The result was to the credit of the 'Doctor' but to hisown discredit. "I shouldn't have shown my hand to Valentino inthe first lap; I saw the best lines at the first curves. I'mhappy but its not the most euphoric pole of my life," theSpanish rider said, putting part of the blame on the changedconditions of the asphalt. Rossi did not deny having closelymarked Lorenzo and said: "I was in the right place at the righttime" although "it is easier to work out a good strategy whenyou're competitive." After a weekend to be forgotten, theItalian rider did not wait for the warm-up to get his Yamahaready, failing to make the best time by a hair. He said: "Whenyou lose the pole by a hair, you don't like it but it's still asecond place that I would have done anything for before thequalifications. This is one of Jorge's favourite circuits andto have kept up pace with him means that we're well positioned.Tomorrow I will be more competitive in battling him...At leastI hope so," he added with a smile. Behind them the lag waslarge because Marc Marquez, still claiming a problem with hishand, made the first row but more than four tenths behind. Hesaid, knowing that his chips are down: "Tomorrow the twoYamahas will be a step ahead; we'll try to fight with theDucatis and Pedrosa." Dovizioso and Iannone followed with a lagof between half a second and six and a half tenths. "LeavingLorenzo aside, we were close behind on the race pace," said thetwo Ducati riders who will close the second row alongside DaniPedrosa's second Honda. Alex De Angelis, after a violent fallat the 9th curve in his last free practice session, will not bein the race. After regaining consciousness while being taken tothe medical centre, the San Marino rider was airlifted to theDokkyo Hospital in Mibu, where he was submitted to a CAT scanand other tests. (AGI) . .
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