MOTEGI (Japan): Italian Andrea Dovizioso claimed Ducati’s first MotoGP pole position in four years at the Japan Grand Prix on Saturday, while world champion Marc Marquez will start from fourth in a race that could see him retain the title.

The Ducati man secured his second career pole in dry, sunny conditions, and will share the first-line start in Sunday’s race with Valentino Rossi on Yamaha and Honda rider Dani Pedrosa.

Dovizioso clocked a time of 1 minute, 44.502 seconds, a new qualifying record at the 4.801km (2.983 mile) Twin Ring Motegi circuit, earning his team a first pole position since Casey Stoner at Valencia four years ago.

Rossi was a further 0.555 seconds behind his countryman, with Pedrosa completing the front row of the grid, 0.253 behind Dovizioso.

Spaniard Marquez was just 0.020 second slower than team-mate Pedrosa as his team scrambled to sort out apparent mechanical issues since the first practice on Friday, edging out former two-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo on his Yamaha.

The 21-year-old champion has 292 points to Pedrosa’s 217, with Rossi on 214, and if he wins Sunday’s race, Marquez would secure the season title by denying possibility for his rivals to fill the huge point gap he has built with three races remaining after this one.

Even if Marquez fails to win here, he could still seal the title as long as he finishes ahead of Pedrosa and depending on the placement of his key rivals.

Published in Dawn, October 12th , 2014