The Inde GASGAS Aspar rider starts the Japanese Grand Prix consolidating the step forward he did in India and with good feelings

Somkiat Chantra has been the fastest rider on the first day of action at Motegi. The Thai rider had not been the strongest on a Friday in the whole season and today he has done it with clarity after leading the first and the second practice sessions. Chantra has set a time of 1:50.396, and only Aron Canet has been close to beat him. The Spanish rider, who had been ninth in the morning, has improved his own lap during the afternoon by almost a second and has ended only 37 thousandths off the Thai's time. Sam Lowes has completed the first top 3 of the weekend after a few Grands Prix in which he has been far from fighting for the victory. The leader, Pedro Acosta, has closed the opening day of the Japanese Grand Prix in fourth place after not being able to improve his time from the first session in the afternoon.

Inde GASGAS Aspar rider Izan Guevara has completed his best Friday of the season after finishing in the top 10 on the first day in Japan. Guevara has arrived at Motegi ready to consolidate the step forward he made in India and has started on the right foot. The Spanish has felt comfortable riding on his own and looking for a fast lap and wants to continue on this path to get into Q2 for the first time this season. His teammate Jake Dixon has not had his best day in Japan. The British rider, who had been fifth in the morning, has ended the first practice sessions in thirteenth place. Despite not finding the best feeling with the bike, Dixon has finished in the provisional Q2 positions. With margin to improve, the British is confident that he will start to show his potential in tomorrow's final practice.

10th Izan Guevara 1:51.064 (+0.668): “It has been a positive first day in Japan, I'm very happy. We are starting to see the right way. We have worked on our own and we have done good lap times. The pace, and also the fast laps, is good. I'm riding more comfortable with the bike and today we're going to rest with a smile. We'll see the conditions we find tomorrow and we'll give our best.”

13th Jake Dixon 1:51.221 (+0.825): “It has not been our best day. I have not felt comfortable with the bike and we will work hard to improve tomorrow.”