Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was fastest on Friday at the Twin Ring Motegi – a track at which he has taken three premier class victories – but Saturday started more complicated for the reigning Champion as he suffered an incredible highside at Turn 2. Flying through the air only the day after Dani Pedrosa’s (Repsol Honda Team) collarbone-breaking highside crash, the Mallorcan feared the worst upon landing in the gravel and was stretchered off – but has escaped uninjured. Taken to hospital after the incident as a precaution, the reigning Champion came out fighting in FP4 and achieved a front row start in qualifying - still ready to fight for the win at the Twin Ring Motegi. With enough experience of riding through the pain barrier to know what he can achieve when the lights go out, Lorenzo has his sights firmly on the top step.
Jorge Lorenzo (P3 - 1'44.221): “It’s been a long time since I had a crash like today – flying a lot of meters in the air with a bad landing. I was scared and expected the worst, especially my left leg, but it was just a warning. So we went to hospital as a precaution and then came back for FP4. I was much better than I thought and ready to fight for pole – but then the laptimes from Rossi and Marquez were very strong, especially Rossi’s laptime following Viñales. I think we have good pace and a chance to fight for the victory. With the adrenaline and some painkillers in qualifying I forgot the pain.”