Izan Guevara Storms to Motegi Pole with Record-Breaking Lap Time
The BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 team enjoyed a standout Saturday at the Grand Prix of Japan as Izan Guevara delivered another commanding performance, securing pole position for tomorrow's Moto2 race at Mobility Resort Motegi.
GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN
QUALIFYING
Mobility Resort Motegi (Japan), 3rd October 2026
1st
IZAN GUEVARA 1'46.851 / 7 LAPS
Today BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2's Izan Guevara showed his determination to fight at the front at Mobility Resort Motegi and keep the championship battle alive, securing a hard-fought pole position at the Grand Prix of Japan with a new all-time Moto2 lap record.
With teammate Alberto Ferrández continuing his recovery from a right collarbone injury sustained in Austria and sitting out the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Guevara carried the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 colours as the team's sole representative and showed strong form all day.
Guevara set the pace early in this morning's FP2, topping the session with an impressive 1'46.950s. The lap established a new all-time Moto2 lap record at Motegi and made him the first rider to go under the 1'47s mark around the Japanese circuit. Although he suffered a minor crash shortly afterwards, the Spaniard escaped unhurt.
The pace continued in qualifying. Guevara's opening flying lap placed him sixth before he moved up to second place on his next attempt despite a small mistake in Sector 4. A further error on his third try ended his first run early and forced a return to the pits.
Returning to the track with four and a half minutes remaining, Guevara sat in third, just 0.064s off provisional pole. The championship contender responded with a stunning 1'46.851s, set on lap 6/7, lowering the all-time lap record once again and securing pole position by 0.051s. The result marked his fourth pole position and eighth front-row start of the season.
As the championship battle enters its decisive phase, the Spaniard remains focused on enjoying the racing, continuing to fight for the title, and reducing the 35.5-point deficit to championship leader Manuel Gonzalez in tomorrow's 19-lap Moto2 race, which will start at 12:15 (GMT+9).
ALEX DE ANGELIS Team Manager, BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2
"It was an impressive performance from Izan. He has been strong in every session so far this weekend and finished qualifying in the best possible way: taking pole position with a new all-time lap record. He was the only rider to go under the 1'47s this morning, and then he went even faster again this afternoon. It was a really strong performance.
"The riders are all very close, so tomorrow will certainly not be easy. But it is great to see Izan riding with this level of confidence and concentration, and also to see how calmly and professionally he communicates with the technicians. He knows what he wants from the bike and what he doesn't want, and that shows how much he is growing as a rider. He is becoming a more and more complete professional.
"We are really happy not only with the result, but also with the way Izan is working, and I'm personally very happy with the whole team as well. We cannot afford to lower our guard, though. We are still many points behind Gonzalez in the championship, so if we want to close the gap as much as possible, we have to be extremely consistent and make the most of every opportunity."
IZAN GUEVARA BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Rider
"This is my fourth pole position of the season, so I'm really happy. We knew we had the speed because we had already shown it this morning, and once we improved the area that had been giving me some problems under braking, I felt much more comfortable and relaxed on the bike. When you have that feeling, the lap times come a little easier.
"Qualifying was a bit tense because when I went out, the brake lever was in a different position from where I normally have it. It was too low, and I could barely reach it properly, especially when changing direction. At first I thought I had a problem on corner entry, but then we realised it was simply the position of the brake lever. The mechanics changed the set-up, and we made sure everything was back where it should be.
"It was not an easy situation because you never know how the bike is going to feel when you go back out, but I tried to stay calm. I knew the potential was there and that it was only a matter of time before we could show it. These are things you can learn from every day, so now we know we have one more thing to check before going out.
"The pace for tomorrow looks really good. I think we can maintain a strong rhythm throughout the race and be in the fight for the victory. I don't know exactly how far we can go, but I'm confident we can have a good battle at the front. We have the speed, so it should be a very interesting race."
Team Manager, BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2
"The riders are all very close, so tomorrow will certainly not be easy. But it is great to see Izan riding with this level of confidence and concentration, and also to see how calmly and professionally he communicates with the technicians. He knows what he wants from the bike and what he doesn't want, and that shows how much he is growing as a rider. He is becoming a more and more complete professional.
"We are really happy not only with the result, but also with the way Izan is working, and I'm personally very happy with the whole team as well. We cannot afford to lower our guard, though. We are still many points behind Gonzalez in the championship, so if we want to close the gap as much as possible, we have to be extremely consistent and make the most of every opportunity."