Lorenzo edges Rossi for Japan pole

Defending MotoGP champion Marquez to start in third

MOTEGI: Jorge Lorenzo will start from pole in Sunday’s Japan Grand Prix after holding off his Yamaha teammate and championship leader Valentino Rossi in qualifying on Saturday.

The Spaniard grabbed his fourth pole position of the season after having led all four practice sessions before clocking in 1min 43.790sec in the qualifying, 0.081sec faster than the veteran Italian rider.

Injured defending champion Marc Marquez will share the front row with the Yamaha duo, 0.426sec behind Lorenzo.

For the season championship, Rossi leads Lorenzo by 14 points and admitted that the competition remains wide open.

Marquez, standing 79 points behind Rossi in the championship battle, admitted to feeling pain from a bone fracture of his left hand.

The injury has stopped the Honda driver from riding at his full potential, allowing the sizzling Yamaha men to stay ahead.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2015.

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