Heartbreak struck home favourite Taka Nakagami as he was ruled out of the rest of the Japanese Grand Prix after fracturing his left collarbone in an early crash during FP1 at Motegi on Friday morning.
Nakagami, riding as a wildcard on Honda's third works bike, was violently flicked off his machine on his out-lap on a cold and slightly damp track. He landed heavily and immediately showed signs of pain, holding his arm. The diagnosis came swiftly: a fractured collarbone, ending his weekend before it had truly begun.
It was a bitter blow for the Japanese rider, who had impressed as a stand-in for the unwell Joan Mir in Austria a fortnight ago. With Mir also confirmed to miss next weekend's Indonesian GP, Nakagami was expected to take that seat. Now, Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro is likely to step in, having recovered from injuries sustained in a test crash in April.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez topped the timesheets with a 1m44.073s, edging championship leader Jorge Martin on the Aprilia by just 0.099s. Marco Bezzecchi completed the top three, a further 0.133s adrift.
The tricky conditions and recently resurfaced track kept most regulars in the pits early on, with only Somkiat Chantra – recalled to MotoGP this weekend to ride Mir's bike – taking to the track for long spells. The Thai rider, who last raced in MotoGP with LCR Honda, ended up 14th.
Maverick Vinales made his return to the premier class with Tech3 KTM, finishing 18th, 1.4s off the pace. The top 10 was completed by Alex Marquez, Johann Zarco, Fabio Quartararo, Raul Fernandez, Pecco Bagnaia, Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Pedro Acosta.
With Nakagami's injury, Honda loses a key rider for its home race, compounding the manufacturer's struggles. Marquez, meanwhile, served a reminder that he remains a force to be reckoned with, even in FP1. The weekend is far from over, but the early signs are clear: Marquez is ready to fight, while Honda must regroup quickly.
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