Dani Pedrosa claims his firs𒁃t win of the season at a wet Japanese MotoGP, while late drama saw Jorge Lorenzo lose second 🦹place to team-mate and title rival Valentino Rossi.

Lorenzo dominated the first half of the race, with Rossi three-seconds behin𒉰d. But both Yamaha riders began to struggle with front tyre wear, leaving them defenseless against a charging Pedrosa.

Rossi stuck with the Honda 🍒rider as he closed down Lorenzo, the Italian taking second place when the #99 ran wide with 5 laps to go.

Lorenzo runs wide! Rossi takes second❀ place race -- ltxcn.top MotoGP (@crash_motogp)

Rossi's championship lead has now grown from 14 to 18 points with three rounds to go.

Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez was racing for teh first time surgery on a fracture to his left hand, sustained in a mountain bike accident. Lorenzo had sprained his left shoulder in a minibike 🔜accident.

Factory🅠 test riders Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Yamaha) and Takumiജ Takahashi (Honda) were making wild-card appearances for their home round, with countryman Kousuke Akiyoshi in place of the injured Karel Abraham...

1.Dani PedrosaESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)46m 50.767s2.Valentino RossiITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)46m 59.340s3.Jorge LorenzoESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)47m 2.894s4.Marc MarquezESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)47m 18.608s5.Andrea DoviziosoITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15)47m 25.852s6.Cal CrutchlowGBR LCR Honda (RC213V)47m 28.030s7.Bradley SmithGBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)47m 28.434s8.Katsuyuki NakasugaJPN Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1)47m 35.421s9.Hector BarberaESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open)47m 39.339s10.Scott ReddingGBR Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)47m 40.888s11.Aleix EspargaroESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)47m 51.302s12.Takumi TakahashiJPN Team HRC (RC213V)47m 51.978s13.Nicky HaydenUSA Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS)48m 2.028s14.Yonny HernandezCOL Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2)48m 4.663s15.Mike Di MeglioFRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14 Open)48m 6.188s16.Alvaro BautistaESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)48m 11.274s17.Eugene LavertyIRL Aspar MotoGP Team (RC213V-RS)*48m 21.991s18.Stefan BradlGER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)48m 37.600s19.Kousuke AkiyoshiJPN AB Motoracing (RC213V-RS)48m 50.839s20.Toni EliasSPA Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)+1 lap
Pol EspargaroESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)DNF
Jack MillerAUS LCR Honda (RC213V-RS)*DNF
Maverick Vi?alesESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)*DNF
Loris BazFRA Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)*DNF
Andrea IannoneITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP15)DNF
Danilo PetrucciITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2)DNF