Andrea Dovizioso could frustrate Marquez in Motegi qualifying

Japanese Grand Prix qualifying
BT Sport 2, 6.10am Saturday

Marc Marquez has all but sealed his fifth MotoGP riders crown and he will make it official if he wins this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

The Honda ace has won the last two races, in Aragon and Thailand, and his task will be made easier by the absence from the field of his future teammate Jorge Lorenzo.

Lorenzo has won three races this term but pulled out of this weekend's event after practice having failed to recover sufficiently from a wrist injury he sustained in the preliminaries in Thailand two weeks ago.

Marquez, who completely dominated the weekend in Thailand, winning from pole position and setting the fastest race lap, is a hot favourite to go fastest in qualifying at Motegi.

However, Lorenzo's Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso could be a better-value bet.

The Italian has set just one pole position this season, in the Czech Republic, but he has been in the top three on the grid in four of the last five events.

Dovizioso was fastest in the dry first practice session on Friday and no rain is forecast for qualifying.

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