Takaaki Nakagami

Takaaki Nakagami has qualified on pole for the first time since he stepped up to MotoGP™ in 2018. This is the first pole position for a Japanese rider in MotoGP™ since Makoto Tamada was on pole position at the 2004 Valencia GP. Nakagami will be aiming to become the first Japanese rider to finish on the podium in MotoGP™ since Katsuyuki Nakasuga was second in Valencia back in 2012. With Pol Espargaro at the Austrian GP, Franco Morbidelli at the Catalan GP and

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) kept his fine form rolling on Saturday at the Gran Premio Liqui Moly de Teruel, taking a maiden MotoGP™ pole position and becoming the first Japanese rider on pole in the premier class since Makoto Tamada at the 2004 Valencia GP. The number 30 also makes it three maiden polesitters this year, a first in a single MotoGP™ season since 2013, and ends Honda's longest premier class run without a pole since they returned to the class in

The Japanese rider heads Viñales on Day 1, with Crutchlow making it two Hondas in the top three in Teruel. Fresh from a new contract with HRC announced on Thursday, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) hit the ground running on Friday at the Gran Premio Liqui Moly de Teruel, nearly two tenths clear to end the day fastest ahead of Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) made it two Hondas in the top three as he took third