Motegi MotoGP

Good morning and welcome to Japan for the panel to look round of the

Moto GP World Championship. We are at Motegi, the home of Honda, in

front of these passionate local fans. It has been a dramatic week in

the world of Moto GP, after that split race and a black flag for the

championship leader at Phillip Island seven days ago. We have had

typhoons, earthquakes, salami warnings, and one they cancelled due

to bad weather here at the track. But thankfully, the clouds have made

way for the crowds here today. With maximum points for Jorge Lorenzo in

Australia, the mathematical permutations are the same. Marc

Marquez needs to score seven points more than his fellow Spaniard, and

the Championship is his. But if McGill and finishes in the top two,

then he will take it to the final round in two weeks time. But one

thing we learned is that mathematics is not always the strongest subject

around here. COMMENTATOR: Dani Pedrosa has

pitted. How close was that leg in the air? Now is a good time to pick!

He cannot do that we are trying to work out how the biggest team in

motor racing, with the biggest budget, could get it so wrong. If

you were thinking you would gain an advantage, surely you would go and

speak to the race direct, and perhaps to the other side of the

garage. This document clearly states that the machine can only go for

nine or ten laps. If it is outside of that, then you would get a

penalty. It was a massive mistake. Look at this, what is going to

happen? My goodness me, they have rammed into each other. Marquez, in

the end, he was black-flagged and the engineer did not even know this

was happening. They were all ready for it to come in. You could clearly

see that the engineers were shocked. We made the plan together, with

three or four guys, but in the end, we told the team, three or four

people, and the biggest problem was that we thought it was possible to

make that lap. But in the end, the positive thing is that we were

there, fighting for the victory. Who is covering for who? Is Marc Marquez

covering for the team, or are the team covering for him? Quite

honestly, I thought it was more plausible that he missed the pit

board. There was a serious lack of communication within the garage,

because whatever happened, Dani Pedrosa's guys got it right, so how

can that be? Well, it is impossible. As we said in the commentary, they

were two laps apart, so one of them had to be wrong. But it is hopeless

for them that this has happened. Charlie, hold that thought, because

we have got the team director here. We are going to ask you the question

that you have been asked many times since last weekend - how did the

guys get it wrong and who ultimately takes the blame? I am not sure about

the question. Whose fault was it at Phillip Island? I do not remember.

It is done, and we have to think about this race and the next race.

At the beginning of the season, if somebody had told us that Marc

Marquez would have been leading the Championship at this stage, it

would've been a dream. We have be focused on this. Still a positive

situation, but forgot for Marc Marquez to keep his concentration

under this pressure, with all of the distractions. Sure, it has not been

the perfect weekend for him, but his ability to get used to the track

very quickly helps. This morning, in the dry conditions, he was very,

very fast. Good luck today. He was just making reference to the crash

there, and that was an incident involving Marc Marquez in the warm

up this morning. there, and that was an incident

involving Not ideal. He had come in for a harder front tyre. The big

problem again with this circuit, particularly this morning, the

temperature was quite cool. It was a massive crash, he was going through

the gravel at high speed. Thank goodness for him, he is 20 years old

and bounces well. Another own goal for them, it ramps up the you only

need something random, like this weekend, where there is one session

for qualifying followed by only one dry session this morning, so you

only have 50 minutes to set up your bike. If you have given away the

wonderful lead you had, and finish up with only two races left having

to do it, you have got no more races left, that is the problem. But

support who you like, Marc Marquez deserves to win the Championship

this year. As Charlie mentioned, we have just had the one session so far

this weekend, it was a 75 minute session, which took place yesterday

afternoon, in wet conditions, which seemed to suit Ducati, and in

particular Nicky Hayden. We know the bike works well in the wet, it takes

away a lot of our problems. I should be happy, front row, but I am also

not happy, as there were times during this session where I was

really fast, and as the track dried out, I could not really improve the

lap times and was probably trying to drive too hard. But nonetheless,

more importantly, we have got to try to take advantage of this tomorrow,

get away clean, and turn it into a good result. Thanks to my team for

working just as hard as ever, and to the fans here in Japan. They really

suffered a lot this weekend. I struggled a little bit with the

setup, but we finished second, so that is the most important. Tomorrow

will be testing, because nobody has ridden here... I mean, I have never

ridden here, so it will be testing, but anyway, I will try to do a good

race. Thank you to these fans, they give to me a lot of support. We hope

to have at least one pack this on the Saturday, I felt really good in

the wet. But tomorrow it seems there is going to be a dry race. We had a

chance at Phillip Island, so we have got to enjoy it. Yes, Jorge, back in

with a chance of the Championship. Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo,

where they want to be, on the front of the grid, but without any dry

setup time, so how important is that? Quite important. 50 minutes

just is not enough to sort it all out. This track has always been the

hardest on brakes and hardest on fuel. We are going to have to watch

a tiny bit when they go into turn one. A lot of the guys will never

have raced with those brakes. Dani Pedrosa, just watch him going into

turn one, and one or two other people as well, because he is on the

old brakes. Traditionally, until Jorge got his starts right, Dani

Pedrosa would always be the first person into turn one, from the first

row or the second row! That is his strength. Sure, they have had little

setup time, but Honda, they own this track. I did note that Yamaha have

got their fuelling right. The boys going out to the grades just behind

us now. One guy who still is not here is Ben 's bees, and the news

last night is that he has decided to retire permanently from motor

racing. -- Ben Spies. It is a terrible shame. It is indeed. He is

a world champion on superbikes, and a race winner in Moto GP, but I kind

of get it, because it oddly is not write any more, and he does not want

to be around midfield. -- because his body is not write any more. I

think he has passed his bad luck onto Scott Redding, actually. So,

Ben, unable to come back to Moto GP after a really difficult couple of

years with shoulder injuries. He is just not quite able to ride a Moto

GP bike any more. You have got to be in peak condition, and this story

with Ben not being able to come back shows us just how you have got to be

in absolutely top condition to ride a Moto GP bike. You have to have a

lot of power to muscle these bikes around. It is not just your arms, it

is through your legs, through your call, through your arms. After a 45

minute race on Sunday, your body is just completely trashed. Let's say

my maximum heart rate would be 195. For 45 minutes, I am usually around

185 for a whole race. That is pretty high for 45 minutes. A lot of our

work in the gym is basic basically to build strength. This is a chilly

oxygen in millimetres available to every kilogram of Bradley's body

weight. -- this is actually oxygen. If you have less body weight, you

have more oxygen to go around, and so to a certain extent it is

important to have light riders, but we still need riders who have

physical strength, to be applied on the bike. There are a lot of

different lifts that we do, a lot of front squats, and a lot of deadlifts

to build strength in your leg and your lower back. We have this

machine to work on your reaction times, and your percent live vision.

All of them, just small details that you cannot replicate on track by

riding. Motorcycle racers have had ankle and knee injuries, so running

is not the first thing they want to do. Cycling is easier on your body.

It is natural, it is two wheels, you can do it in a group and have fun.

You can get competitive with each other, so I think that is why it is

the most popular. Motocross is a great alternative.

Just as a sport it builds up your four arm strength and upper body

strength naturally. It is also demanding. It has got be extra

element that increases your heart rate. It is a similar, physical

nature and similar on the arms and legs. It seems to transfer well. It

does not have the same speed but throttle control, feeling, spinning

and breaks gets your eye back in on the motorbike. This is where it

comes in. It is the third race in as many weekends from Malaysia down to

Australia, back appeared to Japan, these boys are being put to the

test. Scott Smart had to dash back to Brands Hatch himself last weekend

to race in the Superbikes. I am here about the job. You have

got to get kitted up. Green is not my colour, but I will work with it.

What sort of stuff well I expect to hear in the debriefing? The

suspension is working good or bad in certain places. How the tyres are

reacting, how the gearing is and the general setup of the bike. Put that

in there. OK. As soon as you can. That is the wrong way. That is not

bad. But I won't you doing that during this, I will be telling you

to do it. You are in charge. I don't want to get my hands dirty.

I don't like the smell of the fuel. Is it going?

Friday and I am starting my duties as crew chief. They have gone

through with me what I have two chat to Michael about. It is a learning

session for Michael. Getting the track temperature, I have to let

Michael know what the conditions are this morning. I don't want to get it

wrong for him. Track conditions, quite cool. Looks like it will be a

dry session. Track temperature is around 19 degrees at the moment.

Bruce, what is the deal? We give him time remaining, lap and the position

when he comes in. It is pretty windy. How was the

session? Not too bad. Finding my feet. Guys, crew chief, did I do

well? You did very well. The wheel change was funny. Stick to your day

job. I think that is the best advice you have had all weekend. Onto the

grid, there is Jorge Lorenzo in pole position. It is his fourth 2013. He

went from pole position to second place here last year. Alongside him

is Marc Marquez. He has won here before. Victory today, combined with

third place for Jorge Lorenzo -- Jorge Lorenzo, remember and he will

be crowned world champion. The bright red Ducati, back here for the

second time this season, but for the first time with Nicky Hayden on

board. Different conditions today, I am sure you are one of the only guys

hoping for rain today? We would have loved to have had those same

conditions. But we knew it would dry. We did 45 minutes, so we have

an idea. It is not going to be easy. The bike has felt better these last

couple of races and we have got some momentum going. We are going to get

after it and try and stay in there as long as we can. Try to have some

fun, it is nice to be starting with some clean tarmac and I am looking

forward to it. Great to see you appeared, good luck. Through to the

second row. Very much like two weeks ago, he came from the second row to

win the race. Dani Pedrosa is going to be a strong contender from the

second row. Two wins from the last two years here at Motegi. He has won

from the second row two weeks ago. We need to get back to the third

row. Alvaro Bautista was running fastest in the warm up until he had

a mechanical problem. He was on the podium last year. He could be a

contender for the podium today. Alongside him is Stefan Bradl. Two

weeks after breaking his ankle in Malaysia, an incredible effort to be

back here and also you went fastest in the warm up this morning. You are

very strong? It went good for us in the morning. I hope we can do

another good session in the race. It is tight, everything is together. It

is going to be an exciting race. Most of the riders are on the hard

option now. It is going to be interesting. I can be free of Payne

and try to push as long as I can. We look forward to that. He has a plate

and six screws in his ankle after breaking it in Malaysia two years

ago. Fastest in the warm up this morning. But that was just one lap.

Hernandez on the Ducati in 10th place. It is his best race of the

season so far. He will be wanting to replace inspires next year on a more

permanent basis. Not used to seeing Cal Crutchlow back here. He is in

11th place, his worst grade of the season so far. Let's have a word

with him. Not used to seeing you so far back, but good to see you

smiling. You had a decent warm up this morning? It seemed to go a

little bit better. We need to be faster. We need to get the one and

only start of the year I can try and nail. I will try my best, but we

know we have a problem with getting the bike of the line. We will see

how it goes, I am looking forward to it and we will see, it depends.

Maybe tonight we are in the karaoke bar, maybe not! We will keep our

fingers crossed, if only for that, to hear you sing. I will take some

video. Onwards and upwards. I have just spotted somebody here

supporting Cal Crutchlow. We will come back to him. Chris Froome, Tour

de France winner. Let's grab a quick word with Colin Edwards, looking to

wrap up second CRT in the championship this weekend. I am

impressed. It has been a strange weekend. We have got the bike

working pretty good. We will see what we can do. Colin Edwards

looking to finish ahead of Randy De Puniet. Chris Froome, I believe you

have been in an exhibition in Japan and the first time at MotoGP, a nice

way to spend the time? Yes, we were here yesterday. We figured, why

not, the MotoGP is on today. Cal Crutchlow, is good friends with Mark

Cavendish, am sure you know all about him. He is not too shabby on a

push-bike either? It is pretty cool being here and meeting these guys.

It is interesting that a lot of them are riding and using that as their

fitness training. Very similar levels of fitness required. And a

lot of bravery. This is one thing you will experience from track-side

this morning? I watched the last race, it is pretty hairy around

there. Definitely takes some nerves. Enjoy the rest of the day. So, we

are all set, thankfully the sun is shining. It could be the

championship decider. It is all to sorted out from the front. Now it is

time for the riders to give something back to these fans. For

most of the weekend it has been the other way around.

We have got these this ear, a picture of me and Lucy. This is a

dog. I was given a come only with my name on the back of it. We had a guy

last year he won the front of the bike all day. We had a dog with a

shirt on with my lettering on. This is a great gift from the fans.

It is all wide open. I think ie have eaten the thing Valentino had there,

last night. The championship is so loose, isn't it? From what happened

a week ago in Australia to what happened this morning and across the

weekend with the weather. All you can guarantee is you cannot

guarantee a thing. What do you do if you are Marquez?

He has to keep it clean and neat. He could be the chaser next weekend.

Nicky Hayden was way off the pace, compared to the wet weather time.

Ninth in the dry this morning so expect him to go backwards. Watch

the Dani Pedrosa. Dovizioso found a setting at the very last minute.

Bautista had a tumble before it. Sorted out. He was fastest in the

warm up in dry conditions. Bradley Smith had some brake problems in the

qualifying session yesterday. Bradley and Cal Crutchlow had a

scratchy qualifier. Another learning curve for Michael Laverty? He has

had to learn it in the wet yesterday and now in the dry today. On Friday

I thought we had landed on Mars, it was atrocious weather. We wondered

what we were doing here. Now look at it, it is like a spring day in the

UK. Look at the Honda of Marquez. It looks like a pair of dustbin lids

attached to the front wheel. They are so huge. They have to take the

calipers - you cannot take the calipers of, you have to take the

disk of the wheel. Because they also big, they cool down quicker.

Speaking to Cal Crutchlow this morning, he was worried that long

the down straight they would cool down too much. It is so hard on the

brakes here. A lot of the factory guys have gone for that. The

characteristic of this circuit is stop start. That is the way Dani

Pedrosa can capitalise. This is the flowing section, the back section of

the track, if you like. Go back the other way, hit the brakes. Go back

the third Way and hit the brakes. There are five monster stops on this

track. There is another grid for the amateur racers and they can shorten

the circuit. This is the big straight. Drop from 185 miles an

hour downhill. It sucks you into this corner, very easy to make a

mistake. We have seen Valentino Rossi do that. So many people in the

past have gone into that. The first lap will be awkward until the

temperatures are. Some of the guys with the bigger brakes will not know

what is going on. 25 points for a win. As we were discussing at the

top of the show, he needs eight points in the pocket to get this job

done and not have to take it to Valencia. He is checking those

brakes, they seem to be working. They are just enormous those things.

He has made a mistake today. Look at the size of them. Marquez is sought.

Understandably, a tumble. Let's look what is going on here. Cal Crutchlow

says he will make the best start of the year. Let's hope he does.

Championship on the line in Japan. Lorenzo smoking it down, and who is

coming through? Valentino Rossi blocks Dani Pedrosa! In the process,

Marquez has got him back. Lorenzo at front, with Rossi in behind him,

followed by Marquez, and heading the rest of the pack, Dani Pedrosa.

Bradley is through in front of Cal Crutchlow, so that did not work for

Cal Crutchlow at all. Oh, dear me, here we go. It was just a wonderful

set of reflexes from Lorenzo, and Rossi second, how about that? Great

stuff, Valentino Rossi has always been fast around this circuit. He

just did not quite get it together in qualifying, in those wet

conditions. But it could not be more different. Nobody will know what the

track will be like today. There is not a lot of rubber down. Valentino

Rossi said it perfectly - hard on the body, hard on the bike, that is

what this place is like. And down the hill for the first time, those

monster front discs are going to be properly tested now. Downhill, off

camber, superfast. Rossi getting squeezed, Marc Marquez will not want

to let Jorge Lorenzo... You were asking me, what do I think Marc

Marquez wants to do? I would say, keep the blue Yamaha of Jorge

Lorenzo insight. Second place would do him here, at least he could go to

Valencia with a pretty decent chance of taking the Championship. Yes, he

would not have to win Valencia then, if he gets a solid return of points

today. But up at the front, Jorge Lorenzo showing how it is done. A

strong opening lap from a standing start. Excellent start from Bradley

Smith, in sixth position. Cal Crutchlow down in eighth at the

moment. You were right about Nicky Hayden, he has dropped down into

10th, with a dry track. Valentino Rossi tends to want to or three laps

to get up to speed. Steve, everything here is an approximation

for everybody this weekend. We are keeping you abreast of what the

points mean. STEVE PARRISH: There are 23 laps

remaining this, and I suspect that Marc Marquez will have the on

Valentino Rossi. I think the Honda works around here, this is their

test track, it accelerates well, it brakes well. It will all be about

who has got some tyres left towards the end, and some brakes, for that

matter. But with these great big brakes, I do not think that will be

an issue. Rossi has gone wide! We talked about him making a mistake,

and that was lucky he did not hit the gravel. He has dropped two

places, with both Hondas going through.

I am just wondering if those brakes got a bit too cold. He nearly hit

Dani Pedrosa, that was close. Yes, it shortened Dani Pedrosa's braking

distance there. So, all to do again from the Doctor. Just what the

Doctor did not order. Iannone is back in circulation, following that

experience that he had on the first lap.

The lap record around here is a 1.45.89. Are we going to see that

girl? I do not think so. Short on setup, but beautiful conditions to

race in. There was a little bit of a breeze, which will affect their

speed down the pit straight, but that is about it. If it stays like

this, it would be a 13 point advantage which Marc Marquez would

have, going to Valencia. That would look pretty handy.

CHARLIE COX: Yes, you would need a calamity... Oh, these brakes are not

working. That is exactly the same corner. Second time around. That is

dangerous beyond belief, trying to join the track there, with filthy

tyres. It does not matter how much grip he is going to get, and as he

crosses the line, I can tell you... Well, it is the same thing, they are

just not gripping. You can cook your brakes up as well, that is the

problem, if you get too much heat in too quickly, these bigger disks can

cook up. You are getting the heat on the outside and it is not getting to

the inside, which is what I think has happened, he has overcooked

those brakes on the first lap. I think that was an enormous gamble,

you are not supposed to change things between qualifying and the

race. I know these were extreme circumstances, but poor old Rossi is

paying the price. They have tested them, of course, but it is not the

same. Yes, it is really, really difficult. And Valentino Rossi is

now back in 11th, behind knackers Uma, the wild card wider, also on a

Yamaha. Marquez, as long as his body holds

up, he will just want to get this done to date. We saw him come close

to winning the race at Silverstone with a dislocated shoulder in the

morning. I am sure he is feeling beaten up. It is extraordinary how

your body can react, with the adrenaline factor, and also your

main Championship rival ten bikes in front of you. I think that is going

to be coming down very shortly. We heard him say, I do many things, but

not racing is not one of them. If I am in a race, I have got to win it!

I truly believe that Marc Marquez deserves to win this Championship

this year. What went on in Phillip Island really could not be put upon

him, it seems, and you would not expect to come away with no points

after riding as well as he did. But if sound but still not count. We

will find out what happens here, with 20 laps to go. Of course, the

Yamaha tends to go well around here. What Jorge did do, he got the first

lap out of the way, which we have seen him doing so many times this

year, just getting the power-down nice and early. I am wondering

whether or not anybody has had a word with Dani Pedrosa, as far as

the Championship is concerned. Being 34 points back, the chances of him

winning the Championship are very, very slim, of course. So, I am just

wondering if he has been told to try not to give Marc Marquez too much

hassle. It will be tough for him, because he will be thinking, yes, I

am not in the Championship hunt, because Marquez took me out in

Aragorn! Bradley Smith, up into sixth place. Dani Pedrosa has just

put in a fastest lap. They are very close to the lap record here. Dani

stuck with the smaller brakes, he did not feel it was necessary to go

to the heavier brakes. That will also be interesting, coming to the

end of the race, whether or not he has had to push on more than he

would normally. That is the Oval, the Twin Ring circuit here. It has

got an American type Oval over the top of it.

You can hear how they are having to short shift in the lower gears,

because it wheelies too much. It is a great sound, isn't it? I am

getting a bit motion sick now. Interesting that the Hondas are

using first gear a lot more than the Yamaha. He really loves to break

late, Marquez. As we go past a third of race distance. He is very good in

the stop start area. Freddie Spencer, the youngest ever, he was,

so he probably hopes Marquez does not win the Championship. But up

until the current time, he is the youngest ever world champion. But it

is not done yet. Can you remember, Charlie, Valentino Rossi came to

Valencia, looking like he had got the Championship sewn up... 2006, I

will never forget it. And he just got it all wrong, as he has now,

Bradley Smith is in sixth, with Cal Crutchlow right behind him. I am

imagining Cal will be able to get past Radley, he has been faster all

season. Dani Pedrosa looks like he is the most comfortable at the

moment. He is a superstar here. They love him here in Japan. Yes, he is

very, very popular. The fans just adore Moto GP here. There is a big,

big crowd here today. What is going to be the weak point? Is it going to

be Marc Marquez's body, will it be brakes, tyres, or any of the other

elements? We know that Valentino Rossi has had to get a lift back

because he was tight on fuel. The first gear corners on this circuit,

it is although gears, with the tap wide open. It is like racing around

the city, really. Look at the elbow. And the throttle hand, just as he

gets to the apex. Beautiful to watch. So, the lap times have

settled down, in the low 46s. That is about the race pace. Jorge

Lorenzo has the softer of the rear tyres. We found in Phillip Island

that Bridgestone, with some of the problems they have had, the harder

tyre they went, the worse it got. They had probably run out of the

softer tyres by the time they realised that that was maybe what

they would be needing. And here we are with Bradl, in fourth position.

Right behind him, Bautista. That would be eight turn up, Bradley

Smith beating Cal. It would, it is the first time he has ridden a Moto

GP bike around this circuit. I guess those sort of high-speed direction

changes at the end of the lap would be the most painful for the ankle of

Bradl. As they come onto the straight. That was brilliant.

Whether they have put on a better electronic package, because those

bikes should be identical, performance wise, but he just got it

coming out of that corner. That was a rocket going past. Look

at the battle going on behind. How about, as close as you like, trying

to find his way past. He will have to be careful, it is his team-mate.

This is the battle for the Tech 3. Bradley Smith being chased heavily.

Chased heavily by his team-mate, Cal Crutchlow. Bradley missed the apex.

He seemed to miss the corner and Cal Crutchlow slipped past. There is how

he did it. That was as neat as you like. So, what have we got? Are the

Honda bikes comfortable where they are? A long way to go yet. Is Dani

Pedrosa riding to any sort of team order? When we work in Phillip

Island, Honda's preference was before the fiasco pit stop, it was

to have the race won here. Where better the Honda to take the World

Championship and at its own track? But the best laid plans did not work

out. You see the difference riding styles of the two Honda bikes. The

trick the Dani Pedrosa is, if the factory preference is for the win to

be here, that would put the blocks on him getting past Marquez. He has

a contract for next year. He wants to keep everything nice and smooth.

Looking back we saw a battle going on, let's get the replay. No,

sliding. A bit of a moment. There his his dad. -- there is his dad.

This is where the Honda will be strong. It is the fastest and

longest straight. Passing on that corner can easily suck you into that

corner. We have seen what Valentino Rossi O has done before. --

Valentino Rossi. Marc Marquez is looking in attack mode. Super fast

through the sequence of corners on to the pit straight. That is where

he had bad crash this morning. He was so quick through there, look at

that time he has taken out of Jorge Lorenzo. Three tenths, it is a huge

move. All of a sudden it looks like 99, the Yamaha of Lorenzo is backing

up. Just had the fastest lap of his time the bridle. Still doing well

with the screws and plate in his ankle in sixth position. Number 71

has just crashed out. Riding with Dani Pedrosa who has a Birds Eye,

grandstand view of this race going on. 14 laps remaining. This is the

part of the circuit where the Yamaha looks sweetest. But on the breaking

spots that is where they will lunch up again. Turn ten out of there. Up

into the dummy grid. And then the downhill straight, he is riding

defensively, great covering from Jorge Lorenzo. You cannot expect

that to last the 14 laps. Yamaha has the grip of the corners. That is

Colin Edwards' team-mate. Not a good spot to be. What I am noticing is

the Yamaha's good grip of the slower corners. It might not have the out

right acceleration, it seems the gearbox isn't as fast. Although they

have bridged the gap, they seem to be a touch down on power. Jorge

Lorenzo carries good mid-corner speed and then gets on the power and

can make the time up. Marquez has a more aim and fire style. The drones,

we riding with him. Down into the awkward turn 11. Actually, it is not

it is down into the second bridge. Up to the tight left. Wonderful

sound of the two Honda bikes. This is where you notice Jorge is good.

Marquez is on his back. Lorenzo gets the Yamaha of the corner very well.

Number 11, this is worth Marquez crashed this morning. Victory Corner

and then out onto the straight. It is also where we saw Bautista put a

strong move with just a couple of laps to go. I cannot work out where

Marc Marquez has got any way of coming into the corners. Lorenzo, we

know what he is thinking, he has got to win this race. For him to win

this championship with any hope, realistically and to have a much

better chance of taking this championship is winning here, take

the five points away and turn up with a 13 point deficit. There is an

outside possibility. Marquez seems to be strongest on the brakes.

Bringing the bike in. Tipping it in, still on the front wheel.

Lorenzo, as you pointed out, drives out of the corner better. Marquez

always looks the most out getting it stopped. Pedrosa catches it in a

neat and orderly manner. For him to have a go into this corner, I think

he has got to be on the back wheel or just on the inside of it. The

Honda does have the performance down the straight. If you lose it, if you

lose just a touch coming out of the corner, it seems to take for ever to

get it back. You have got to catch the speed. You have got to keep the

momentum up. Dani Pedrosa will be thinking, 11 laps of this, you have

got to be kidding. They are only just halfway through this. What both

the guys will be finding as well, they are not getting the air through

the radiator as much, certainly not onto the brakes as much. Espargaro.

He is not happy. I did think he got knocked off. I think it is a brake

failure. It is extraordinary. I did not see where the bike ended up. I

can hazard a guess at its condition. It looked like a brake

issue in that bottom corner. Look at this! This is as close as you like.

Almost kissing tyres. Danni has said, I don't want to get involved

in this. Marc most getting high on the Yamaha fumes, he is so close. My

goodness me! He has got to be saying to himself, do I want to tangle up

with this guy and end up in the dirt? ! He has got the run here.

They are telling Jorge to go as hard as he can. As opposed to what must

you Mark! I think Dani Pedrosa thinks, I am going to back away from

this, it will end in tears. It is Lorenzo's best chance that something

will go off on the tyres of the Honda. They might run out of tyres

before him. I think it will be the other way around. At the moment is,

I am not seeing it. We still have ten laps to go. We're coming up to

tyre degradation time in the next couple of laps. Marc Marquez is all

over the back of the Yamaha now. Danni has dropped away. He looked to

be the most comfortable in third place. Across the line, that gap is

seven tenths from Lorenzo last time around. Nine laps left of this. We

shall see. Yamaha just pushed off the bottom corner, coming out of the

tight corner. Just seems to nail it at that point. Defensive line, but

it works. Makes it a long ride the Marquez to get around. He has missed

the corner. I don't know how he brought that back in again. The

Yamaha was in the way at the point he did not want it in the way, but I

am sure he will make the time up again shortly. Jorge Lorenzo making

it as wide as he can. Why wouldn't he, using up every bit of the track,

making sure he is not slow of the corners. That is where he could lose

this. Pedrosa is 1.1 behind. He was unable to go for the apex in the

corner. Had to pick the bike up a little bit. Cannot lay into the

corner as he wants to. Could run through the corner, but he was

off-line. Lorenzo was 46.0 and Pedrosa was 46.4, so these two at

the front are going more quickly and are dropping off Dani Pedrosa a

little. It looks to me, I think Marc Marquez will be back on his back

wheel again in a couple of corners. He will have another go at this.

What can you say more about Jorge Lorenzo. He is so good at running a

strong, steady pace. He is the Roger Federer of motorcycling. He has been

around forever, he is tidy, smooth and does everything tidy on the day.

And the pressure he is under? He served an apprenticeship very well

under Valentino Rossi. He learned how to lose as well and is how to

win. When he did finally went, it was a great job. It is no fluke he

has won two world titles, Lorenzo. Not at all. The crew is with him.

They can sense it is three tenths. 45.7, he has just set a new fastest

time. Lorenzo is responding. He is digging deep and watching the pit

board. Could the tyres be the difference? Marquez has pulled

himself away from Dani Pedrosa. If it all ends here, a laps to go, but

with these positions, the championship would be 13 points in

when they go to Valencia. What Lorenzo needs to try to do

obviously, it is successfully use a few times, get Marquez enough to

kind of extinguish any optimism that the youngster might have about

getting it back again. He did it quite a few times across recent

runs. Maybe he is doing it again. This gap is opening up. Maybe he

has. That would be the smart move. There is no where it seems to me he

has a big advantage on Yamaha. Maybe running into the corners, but when

there is a bike on the line, difficult to get through. He had an

attempt at turn 11. It did not work. I would have thought his pit board

would say, settle down, second place, we are happy with that.

Lorenzo will be giving it everything. You never know it with

him because he is so smooth. No one has giving him the punch to go

faster. You can see Marquez is really on the max. You can see him

shifting his body weight back, ready for the corner. I truly believe if

he got in front, he would go faster, at the risk factor is so much

higher. It is such as we saw in Malaysia, Lorenzo was riding with

elbows, feet and everything. He had a great battle with Marc Marquez,

throwing everything at it to keep the guy at bay. It was a different

style Lorenzo, when it came to the fighting of it, and he is going to

make it hard again. And you get the feeling at the moment that Marc

Marquez is probably thinking, there is not much I can do about this. We

have seen so many moments. Look at the way he is going, he misses the

apex completely. Sometimes missing it gives you a good run back into

the second part of it. And enough people have done it, that track is

still pretty clean out there, it is not the end but this is looking like

a proper breather for Lorenzo, we are looking at about half a second.

Marc Marquez, although he is only 20 years old, he is almost certainly

thinking to himself, you know come this might be the best option here.

If you were Dani Pedrosa... No, it has cost him more than that. It is

more than a second. Yes, he is now Marc Marquez has just got to settle

down, take a deep breath and bring it home. But Jorge Lorenzo, 50 wins

he has had in all classes, 51 if he wins here today, and it is looking

very much like it, with six laps remaining. Marc Marquez does not

want to get himself into a tangle with Pedrosa. I would not bank on

Pedrosa remaining behind him if he had the chance to pass him. Here we

go, riding with Valentino Rossi, and how many times have we seen these to

having a great scrap? It is the battle for sixth. Usually, Bautista

is in the middle of it, but he is further down the road, in fourth. In

between them, in fifth, is Bradl. Rossi has done a tremendous job to

bring it all back. Yes, he was 11th last time we checked. Yes, he has

done a now, he has got his brakes sorted out, I think it was just that

they got cooked up early on, and he had to let them settle down. Bryan

Staring, I am pretty certain, will be keeping out of the way. He has a

good look over his shoulder. Good boy. Yes, you do not want to get

yourself tangled up getting past somebody. Well done, Bryan Staring,

nice job. You would have to say, at the moment at least, unless there is

a problem with Lorenzo's tyres, Marquez appears to have accepted

this. But what I was saying was, the key for Dani Pedrosa would be at

least trying to close up on the back of Marquez, so that psychologically,

he can feel, yes, I was in touch. He won the last two rounds, but this

will be the only dispiriting. I think Marquez has kind of Reed

gathered. We saw him getting a bit out of shape. I am pretty certain he

has said to himself, this is not going to happen, I am not going to

win here. -- re-gathered. You can see his knee bouncing over the curbs

on the inside, absolute poetry in motion. He is as neat as a pin. If

you were to draw that, you could not make somebody more compact, more

economical, more in line and fast. STEVE PARRISH: That is Damian

Cudlin. CHARLIE COX: And that cost him. Now,

watch again, because if Lorenzo was there, someone else is coming. Good

man, he saw it that time, but that probably cost three tenths to

Lorenzo. Yes. Yes, I think Marquez has got a little sniff on that now.

There it is, 1.3, the gap. Rossi, like I say, still marching on. He

has got himself up into fifth, but he has got a long way to go to get

to Bradl, about four seconds in front. We have not said a lot about

Bautista, having a really good run. And he is two seconds ahead of

Stefan Bradl, so he is having a lonely ride, but a jolly useful one.

OK, it is not common to do this much Lappin, and this was costly. Yes,

right in the middle of the corner, there was no way he could get

underneath Damian Cudlin at that point, so he had to back off. The

Yamaha dies, not best pleased, but nothing you can do about it, it is

the same for everyone. The hardest thing is, as soon as the guys know

that he has come past, they are looking over their shoulder, so it

helps Marquez a little bit. Nothing nicer for Yamaha than to win a race

on their own circuit, at the Honda test track. He came in here leading

by 18 points, Marquez, and that will be down to 13 points, which will

still put enormous pressure on Lorenzo to deliver. And on the wing

account, it will mean Jorge Lorenzo has got seven wins, compared to six

four Marc Marquez, so he will actually need to finish in third

place, assuming Jorge Lorenzo wins. It has all gone horribly wrong,

following a massive advantage which he had at Philip Island. I know we

keep on talking about it. When we were in Aragon, we were looking down

the barrel of the rest of the races being dead rubbers, because the last

few races would be a formality. You could not have forecast what on

earth could possibly happen, you could not have foreseen Australia,

and then the calamity here as well with the weather, and the craziness

of everybody having to roll the dice and try new brakes. It is

extraordinary, what has happened. It has thrown a proper spanner in the

works, or certainly for Honda and Marc Marquez. You could not have got

odds on the Championship going all the way down to Valencia, but that

is what is going to happen, by the look of it. We are looking at the

Ducati 's, which have given us a lot of fun down the years. -- the

Ducatis. And running around in 11th position

at the moment is Nakasuga. You have got to say that possibly through no

fault of his own, Marc Marquez is having to think a fair bit more

about this Championship. I know he has only got one speed, but he is

being very smart here today. Damian Cudlin will be in trouble now for

holding up the race leader, Jorge Lorenzo, because it will be the fact

that he did not see the blue flags. So, he will get a point for that,

almost certainly, on his licence. Yes, he will be summoned. Michael

Laverty, in 19th position, just behind Petrucci at the moment. Not a

bad Australian accent there, you have used your couple of weeks down

under very well, Stephen. You would say that motorcycle is bent,

wouldn't you, but that is because the back wheel is off the ground,

and he has got the airbrake out nicely. That is extraordinary. The

size of that front disc, have a look at it. It makes the front wheel look

too small, but it works. He takes slow motion replays to a

new level, but the performance of Marc Marquez. And this guy,

perseverance, neatness, absolute focus and determination. If he had

not had that crash in N'Guessan, if he had not backed up with another

crash, with injury, in Germany, it could all be so different. This

race, we would be seeing him as Championship. . We could say the

same if Marc Marquez have not fallen off in Italy as well. Jorge Lorenzo

and Marc Marquez have probably been the standouts . any Pedrosa really

has not had the form that we saw at the end of last year. No, he was

really on a roll, wasn't he? So, there you go. They are just telling

him, that is fine, just ring it on home. Jorge Lorenzo qualified in

pole position, was the fastest man in the wet. Jorge Lorenzo was only

the fourth fastest man this morning in the dry, in the only other bit of

running they had around here. And he was behind Marquez, behind Pedrosa

and behind Bradl. But he knew what he had to do, went on the soft tyre,

took the chance, and it looks like it is paying off. The Yamaha, a

different type of weight distribution, different power

characteristics, different riding style from Jorge Lorenzo, and he has

got away with that soft tyre. He is about to come up with his 30th motor

GP win, and what a great ambassador he is for our sport. Casey Stoner

was in the high 30s, Valentino Rossi of course, but it is a massive

result for this man. And for Yamaha as well, at the Honda track. We have

got the President a here today, keeping an eye on it. Jorge Lorenzo

will be thinking, I hope we have got enough fuel here. He has got a long

straight coming up here now, and then coming through towards Victory

Corner. Through the left-hander. They are getting ready for him! He

comes into Victory Corner, and Jorge Lorenzo wins in Japan! Jorge Lorenzo

wins on Honda's own track. Second, Marc Marquez, third, Dani Pedrosa,

the Championship goes down to the wire, partner, in Valencia. It

certainly does. We have got 13 points in it. A very good ride from

Bautista, number 19, coming home in fourth position. Stefan Bradl, too,

riding through the pain, coming home in fifth. And Valentino Rossi, what

a recovery from the heart stopping moments he had early in the race,

running ride twice down at 90 Corner. And it looks like Dovizioso

has had some problems, dropping a long way back. I know he has got

some fuel problems, but he has dropped a long way back. Bike number

21, that was John Hopkins' old number, as well as Troy Bayliss's

old number, it is a good number! Bradley Smith had a very strong

ride, it went away from him a little in the latter stages, but he had a

brilliant start, and Rodwell. A good day for Yamaha all-round. After the

problems for Valentino Rossi, what is your take on people using these

new, egg brakes today? -- big brakes? I reckon he probably just

cooked up those discs a little bit. He has often had some brake

problems. He had some in separate this year in the traffic in the

first few laps. But I know that if you just get too much heat too

quickly, they do not really like it. But there is not a lot of choice in

the first few laps of a race. You saw the maps, 13 points is what is

needed. Dani Pedrosa is out of the championship. 36 points of the pace.

Another year, give it another go. He has got another contract. Valentino

Rossi is looking a very strong fourth place. Yamaha and Honda are

the top four in the world this year. That is the way it is looking. Dani

Pedrosa is going to start thinking to himself, there is nothing I can

do about this kid. He looked good at the beginning, looked very strong

and comfortable but could not keep the pace up. It will be interesting

to find out, whether it was the brakes, tyres or what. He could not

hold the pace. He has had to MotoGP wins, will be interesting. Michael

Laverty did get across the line. He did some good pushing. He has ran

out of fuel, Valentino Rossi. Got further than last year, because last

year he had to get a lift back. Cal Crutchlow made it over the line,

because he ran out of fuel. It is good fuel management. This guy did

not run out of fuel, how about that? He did not go as far as Valentino

Rossi, did he? Lorenzo laying out the flag for a bit. It was a great

ride and great encouragement for the team. They used to give the factory

Honda a run. Sensible afternoon. Got over the crash this morning. It is

going to make for a fantastic celebration in Valencia. They will

all be thinking, I hope this works out. Otherwise we will be out of a

job. Yes, they will be thinking they will get throttled for making the

pit stop. He is not a happy camper. I am sure we will find out what his

issues where, if there were any. Colin Edwards, as I said, top CRT,

finishing 12th out right. That will do. So, seven wins now for Jorge

Lorenzo this season. Lorenzo's land is a Honda test track. Can you

imagine explaining that to the board of Honda, what happened? Honda won

the championship last year with six wins. This year he has had six

already. It shows how hard he has been run by Marquez. It has been a

two-man show all year. He is doing everything he can. All he can do

from here is make it hard for the other guy. That is the other guy.

Always smiling. Azi Farni can put her umbrella down

and do her own job now. 42.31 seconds last time. A slower race. I

think, as I said, one of the compromises as far as set up is

concerned. I think he did a good job, Stefan Bradl. He would not have

expected that when he was in hospital three weeks ago. OK, that

was a top, top ride. He does not even know what time it is. He was in

pole position and he won the race. A great ride, Azi Farni? This could

not have gone more perfect for year with the championship going down to

the final race in Valencia in two weeks? Yes. We knew at the end of

the race we could have problems. And I could improve my lap time and get

away. Maybe I could have slowed down a bit and raise with the group, but

I chose this way. I am very happy. Great motivation for Valencia now.

Congratulations. He chanced his arm on the tyres and it did pay off in

the end. It was a gamble and this is confirmation. Just a tiny bit

slower, three seconds slower across the race distance from last time.

They had to work with it. Marc Marquez, probably the smart way to

play it. Marc, congratulations, you have caught up with Jorge and we

thought you could pass. Was he just faster? Today I knew it would be

difficult. Because it was my first time here with MotoGP. We practised

yesterday in rainy conditions. And for one lap this morning, I was OK.

Also with the setup, we were faster. But I was one part of the race I was

a little bit faster than Jorge, but in the end he pushed quite a lot. I

thought it was too much risk. So we will have another race. Smart

thinking. Strategy was what was going on. Look at that facility.

Great to look at, this place. The most extraordinary race setup. 13

points the between the two of them. It is all over the Danni, sadly.

Danni, sadly the championship is over for you. But a good podium,

what happened in that race? It is such a good start but it seemed to

fall off at the end? The start was not so bad, then I lost two

positions. We did not drive so much in the dry this weekend. After

Rossi's mistake I was third. I was planning to put some good pace, but

I was spinning on the rear wheel. It was spinning more than normal. I

tried to do my best today but I was not able to follow Jorge and Marc. I

lost touch and you know... This is like this. That is the way it goes.

He has got to laugh about it. He is still coming third in the world. 25

points behind Lorenzo and a further 13 on top of that behind his

team-mate, Marc Marquez. A gamble for Jorge going for the softer tyre.

They have not done a lot of testing. He would have sat down with his

Bridgestone engineers and data guys and try to work it out. And you

could see. That was a replay, it does not happen that often. Kissed

and made up. Colin Edwards, I don't know what you said to him before the

race, but it obviously worked? I will have to tell him I am not

available for Valencia now. A great race. You were a good look charm, we

will have to put you on the payroll. I am not sure what happened with

Espargaro. Something happened with the brakes, I am not sure. I put my

head down and started hammering out some good laps. I got away from

Randy De Puniet. I rode my backside off. I promised my guys a couple of

weeks ago when I had the mistake in Malaysia. I said, I'm not sure about

Australia because I don't know how this bike will work, but I will do

it at Motegi. It worked. It was a great job. I am still scratching my

head as to what happened to desperado. It looked like it was a

brake issue. I think the body politics of this is very

interesting, Steve. There was a handshake between Lorenzo and

Marquez, worthy of a replay, because they have treatment because of the

way he was treated at the start of the year. Marquez has some great

speed, but no friends. You don't, if you are fast, no one likes you. I

was always friendly to you! It wasn't that funny. They are talking

now, it is good. Cal Crutchlow, seventh. Spanish is the language of

the championship. There we go, we will have three Spanish flags and

the Spanish national anthem, not for the first time. It is a surprise,

isn't it! This is what you need for the MotoGP series. All you need as a

rule. Great run the Yamaha. They won here in 1966, when the Japanese

Grand Prix was raced at at a different circuit. Yamaha and Suzuki

had a win here at 1966. Valencia is federally, could do it in a car

park. Will it make a difference? I think it will be who can keep their

cool Alberta. Marc Marquez will try to finish on the podium and that

will do the job. -- cool out there. I am sure Honda will have a word

with Dani Pedrosa. They would be foolish not to. Dani Pedrosa, and

wholesaler Lorenzo is very neat around Valencia. -- Jorge Lorenzo.

It is whether Rossi can help out Lorenzo. Lots to think about before

we go to Spain. It will be a full on Spanish fiesta

at Valencia in two weeks. Back the normal time of 12:30pm on BBC Two.

Who will be celebrating at their home race? Will it be Jorge Lorenzo

or Marc Marquez after all? After self weekend at Motegi, the MotoGP

World Championship 2013 is going to the wire. We will see you in a

couple of weeks.