Johann Zarco is World Champion in the Moto2 class! His main rival Tito Rabat was unable to start at the Japanese GP due to an injury, which declares Zarco as the winner of the title after FP1. The French rider has achieved history and will be approaching the rest of the season with the trophy to hold high. The Ajo Motorsport Moto2 team will be over the moon. This is not the way anyone wants to win a title but for Zarco he has dominated all season long and it was only a matter of time before he sealed the deal.
In terms of the MotoGP and Moto3 classes, the World Championships are still very much on fire with Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi going head to head and Danny Kent and Enea Bastianini still locked in the title battle. The feelings between the riders are quite intense as the honour of winning a championship is enormous. The Japanese track is sure to test the rider’s abilities and have them riding on the limit every session in the lead up to the big day. Lorenzo has already shaken off his shoulder injury and was the fastest in FP1 proving his hunger to beat his fellow teammate Valentino Rossi.
The Japanese circuit is a favourite for a lot of the riders as it boasts a solid crowd, is a nice place to visit especially because of the sushi on offer and is the first of three flyaway races with Australia and Malaysia next on the calendar. All three categories will be a thrill to watch as Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha have fun at their home race. In other news, American rider Nicky Hayden has decided to hang up his MotoGP leathers and move over to the World Superbikes with Honda. His journey in MotoGP has allowed him to win a World Championship and establish himself in the history books.
Rossi is confident coming to Japan even after his accident at testing in Aragon. He stated in the press release “In Aragon, during the test, I crashed but there were no further consequences, only a little abrasion on my arm. I'm fine and I'm ready for the tripleheader!” Whilst Lorenzo stated “Motegi is a typical stop and go circuit but for some reason I could do great races in the past even if it may be better suited for our rivals. This year we go there eager to do another great battle so hopefully we could do another nice race and try to make the championship tighter.” The tension between the two riders could be cut with a knife. Every session will be important for bike set up, race pace and overall confidence at a track that will have Yamaha fans cheering very loudly.
Australian riders Jack Miller and Remy Gardner are looking forward to the race at Motegi. Jack is focusing on bagging more points whilst Remy’s father Wayne mentioned in a podcast this week that they are thinking of jumping up to Moto2. Both riders have the ability to excel and Motegi will be a race where they line up for a positive finish before packing their bags again and heading home to race at Phillip Island! Game on ladies and gentlemen! Be sure to tune in for this weekend’s race.
