Now in its final stretch, MotoGP starts its Asian leg of the calendar in Japan. It’s race week again, and this time riders head to the Mobility Resort Motegi for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. With 6 races left, it’s Marc Márquez’s chance to shine as he looks to take his 7th MotoGP title. Here’s a roundup of what happened last year and what you can expect this time around.
Alonso Made Moto3 History
History was made during last year’s Moto3 race, with David Alonso becoming the first Colombian champion. Whilst he didn’t have the best start to the race, dropping back to 7th, Alonso was able to make his way back to the top step. Scoring his 10th win of the season, he took the championship with 4 rounds left of the season. He was joined on the podium by Collin Veijer and Adrian Fernandez.
Daniel Holgado and Jose Antonio Rueda were also standout riders. Starting lower down the grid than expected, they were able to make overtakes to finish 4th and 5th, respectively. In contrast, it was a weekend to forget for some, as 5 riders crashed throughout the race and had to retire.
A Shortened Moto2 Race
Rain at the track meant a red flag delay for the Moto2 grid. This delay saw the 19 laps cut down to 12 for a shortened race. Manuel Gonzalez gambled with the slick tyres and gave a masterclass race. Dropping from 14th to 23rd initially, Gonzalez carved his way through the grid with apparent ease. Taking the lead on lap 9, he went on to take his first Moto2 victory, taking hometown glory away from Japanese championship leader Ai Ogura.
The slick setup proved to be the winning formula, with all of the top 6 choosing it. Filip Salac was able to take his first podium with Elf Marc VDS despite starting 18th. Celestino Vietti was the best finisher on the wet setup. He finished 7th and 50 seconds behind Gonzalez. Unfortunately, following a crash in qualifying, David Muñoz was unable to race due to a fractured ankle.
First Pole for Acosta in MotoGP
Japan in 2024 saw rookie Pedro Acosta take pole position ahead of Francesco Bagnaia. In the sprint race, Bagnaia was able to get the jump on Acosta initially, but the rookie took back first place by lap 3. With both Ducati Lenovo riders hunting him down, Acosta managed to fend them off, but with 5 laps to go, he low-slided into turn 5. The crash saw Bagnaia take the win with Marc Márquez promoted to P3. Despite starting 11th after a qualifying crash, Jorge Martín finished 4th.
The main race saw Bagnaia victorious again. Taking the lead immediately and not conceding throughout the 24 laps, he was dominant in Motegi. Martín had an excellent start, finishing lap 1 in 4th place; and by lap 3 he was behind Bagnaia. Taking yet another 1-2 finish, the championship contenders were split by only 10 points when they left Japan.
Once again, Acosta failed to convert his pole position; and on lap 3 he crashed. He initially was able to continue; but on lap 12, Acosta had to retire. M. Márquez was battling with Bastianini throughout the race, ultimately taking the final podium position.
Last year, Japan was a thrilling weekend all around. Whilst he missed pole position, Bagnaia was unstoppable, bringing the title fight closer than ever. Alonso proved once again he was a rising star in Moto3 as he made history; and a brief rain spell flipped Moto2.
Japan in 2025
There’s plenty to watch out for this weekend in Japan. Fresh off of a home win in the San Marino sprint race, Aprilia Racing rider Marco Bezzecchi is eyeing 3rd place in the championship. With 8 points separating him and Francesco Bagnaia, Japan could see a change in the top three.
It’s also Ai Ogura’s first home race in the premier class. With Trackhouse Racing improving each weekend, he’ll be looking to score points in front of a home crowd.
It’s also the first race where Marc Márquez can win the title. Despite a rare mistake in the sprint seeing him crash out of the lead, he still took home enough points over his brother to win in Japan. All M. Márquez needs is 3 points; and he’ll take his 7th title, matching Valentino Rossi. This would be the 4th time he’s clinched it in Japan.
Mobility Resort Motegi
The Mobility Resort Motegi is a track in Motegi in the Tochigi Prefecture in Japan. Holding both a road course and oval track, it was named the Twin Ring Motegi until 2022. It was originally built in 1997 by Honda to be the ultimate test facility but joined the MotoGP calendar in 1999.
The road course is a 4.801 km track that runs clockwise. It is relatively flat, with low levels of elevation throughout. With fast-flowing sections broken by tight corners, it is a difficult track to master. Riders have to manage hard braking to get the corners right; and due to the stress the track puts on the bikes, fuel strategy is a key element to contend with.
Jorge Martín holds the lap record here with a 1:44.461; but it’s Marc Márquez who has the most wins at the track (3 in MotoGP, 5 overall). Honda hold 9 wins here in MotoGP; but Ducati are just behind them with 8 – could the Italian team match them this weekend?
Schedule
The schedule for the race weekend is as follows. Please note that all times are in CEST.
With only 3 points needed over his brother, can Márquez succeed and match Valentino Rossi; or will the fight go on another week? Francesco Bagnaia will be hoping for a better result this weekend, but can he keep 3rd in the championship? Whatever happens, it’ll be a race not to miss.