Marquez Fastest at Japanese GP

Spanish rider Alex Marquez emerged as the fastest rider during the first practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix, putting himself in a strong position for the rest of the weekend. The impressive performance came as all of the main championship contenders managed to secure their direct passage to Saturday's Qualifying 2 session.

However, the session brought disappointment for local favorite Ai Ogura, who failed to make the top cut and will now need to battle through Qualifying 1 to progress further in the competition. Ogura's struggles add extra pressure as he seeks to perform well in front of his home crowd. milkshake.it.com