Brad Binder set a new Motegi lap record on Friday to be the fastest in practice for the Japan MotoGP ahead of championship leader Francesco Bagnaia.
The South African (Red Bull KTM), riding a new carbon-fibre chassis, smashed an eight-year-old record at the Japanese circuit with a time of one minute, 43.489 seconds.
Reigning world champion Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo) of Italy finished strongly to end second, 0.029 seconds behind Binder.
That new carbon fibre chassis seems to work a treat! 😎@BradBinder_33 will lead them into Super Saturday! 👏#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/vgUmC6qbnu
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 29, 2023
Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) was third, 0.295sec off the pace, followed by fellow Spaniard Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), 0.354sec behind.
In MotoGP, the 10 quickest riders in practice take part in the final qualifying session on Saturday for the first 12 places on the grid.
They are joined by the two fastest riders from the first qualifying session, which sets spots 13 to 22.
Bagnaia crashed out of the last race in India, allowing Martin to cut the defending champion's lead to just 13 points with seven races still to go.
Martin won the sprint race and finished second behind Italy's Marco Bezzecchi -- who was fifth in practice at Motegi on Friday -- on his Ducati-VR46.
The longest-standing lap record is no more! 🔴@BradBinder_33 gets the job done! ✅#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/ex2HOV301U
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 29, 2023