MOTEGI, Japan — Jorge Lorenzo marked the fastest time in Friday’s MotoGP free practice ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix Sunday.



The Spaniard clocked 1min 44.731sec, showing off his consistent supremacy at Motegi, riding 0.128sec ahead of Honda rider Dani Pedrosa and 0.312sec faster than Ducati man Andrea Dovizioso.



Championship leader Valentino Rossi, who is only 14 points ahead of Lorenzo, came in eighth, riding 0.823sec slower than his Yamaha teammate.



With four more races at play, including the Japan Grand Prix Sunday, the championship can go to either of the Yamaha riders, while injured reigning champion Marc Marquez trails them at a distant third and says he has largely given up hope for defending his title.



Lorenzo said he was surprised by his stellar showing, given a shoulder injury sustained during a recent practice before coming to Japan.



“I am happy that I can be still competitive and constant,” he said. Off the bike, however, Lorenzo was seen touching his shoulder several times between practice laps.



The Spaniard has a history of outperforming his rivals at Japan’s Twin Ring Motegi circuit, where he won in 2014, 2013 and 2009 and finished second in 2012 and 2011.



Struggling Marquez was seventh in the time sheet, recording 0.761sec slower than Lorenzo, but ahead of Rossi.



Marquez had to use a fat, custom-made hand grip because he cannot fully close his left hand after sustaining a broken bone last week that forced him to have a surgery.



He was riding his machine for the first time since then. The battle in Motegi will kick off three back-to-back races in this month that will bring the riders also to Australia and Malaysia.



Zarco wins Moto2 title



Frenchman Johann Zarco became the Moto2 world champion Friday ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, after his closest rival Tito Rabat pulled out with an injury.



Zarco, on a Kalex, had a 78-point lead against defending champion Tito Rabat and needed to come out of Sunday’s race with a 75-point advantage to guarantee his season victory.

In the end he didn’t need to race.



Spaniard Rabat had to abandon the Japanese race during the first free practice session Friday morning due to pains from a broken left radius, sustained in a training crash Monday. — Agencies