In the first match point race for Marc Márquez, Ducati triumphed across the board in Motegi. Taking pole position and a double win Francesco Bagnaia was dominate at the Japanese track. There was no stopping the Ducati Lenovo drivers this weekend with Márquez also taking his 7th MotoGP championship.
Withdrawals From the Race
The grid was reduced ahead of the main Sunday race with both Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura both withdrawing from the race. Following his crash in the sprint, Martín sustained a broken collarbone. Consequently, he was not cleared to race and he returned to Spain.
Ogura had been looking quick all weekend at his home track, almost making Q2 and finishing in the points on Saturday. However, only an hour before lights out, it was announced that he would withdraw from the race. Last time out in Misano, Ogura had a crash — this has caused him pain in his right hand which influenced the decision.
Yellow Flags and Retirements
All in all, it was a relatively clean race at Motegi. Due to the long, heavy braking zones there were many close battles. Issues arose for some issues, like Fabio Quartararo who lost 5 places in one lap due to a lack of pace. Whilst he was looking set for a podium position, Pedro Acosta went wide and through the gravel which dropped him to the back of the field.
The race only saw one brief yellow period when Honda wildcard rider Takaaki Nakagami crashed. 2 more riders retired – Luca Marini in the early stages due to an electrical issue and Jack Miller who’s chain broke in the closing laps.
Another Title in Motegi For Márquez
Coming into the weekend, Marc Márquez only needs 3 points over his brother to secure the championship. In doing so, he’d match Valentino Rossi and take his 7th MotoGP title – 9th overall.
It wasn’t as smooth sailing as hoped, as he continually struggled throughout the sessions. He was missing the outright speed and stability he’s had all year, yet still went on to get two P2 finishes. His brother, Álex Márquez, also struggled in Motegi. He failed to score points in the sprint and could only manage P6 in the race.
This gives Márquez the title with 5 races to go and once again, he rewrites the record book. He matches Rossi, becoming one of 2 riders to have the second most MotoGP titles (only behind Agostini). But, with 6 years since his last title, Márquez set a new record for the most amount of time between championships.
Bagnaia Dominates
Considering his struggles this year, Francesco Bagnaia looked to be back on form in Motegi. Taking pole position and both wins, he’s looked like the Bagnaia of old this weekend. Is this a sign for better things to come in the end of the season for the Italian?
Bagnaia delivered a dominant race. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked as his bike was continually producing smoke. Luckily for him, he was able to manage it with the calm composure of a champion.
It was a crucial weekend for Bagnaia to get right, with his P3 in the standings up for grabs. But for now, he holds Marco Bezzecchi off and opens the gap back up.
It was an excellent race once again in Motegi. Enea Bastianini and Somkiat Chantra also impressed — both finishing in the points despite starting last. With 3 of their 4 riders, Honda had a successful home race. The top 10 and points scorers can be seen below:
The title may be wrapped up but there’s plenty at stake in the final 5 rounds. Marc Márquez won’t be taking it easy but now his teammate is back – will we see more Ducati battles between the pairing? Next week MotoGP heads to Indonesia, don’t miss it!