Marquez Wins Japanese GP Sprint to Close in on Martin
Marquez took the win after post-race penalties for Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini reshaped the podium and lifted Diogo Moreira to second.
- On Saturday, Ducati rider Marc Marquez won the Japanese Grand Prix Sprint at Motegi, while post-race steward penalties for exceeding track limits demoted Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini, elevating Pro Honda LCR's Diogo Moreira to second for his first-ever MotoGP podium.
- Championship leader Martin held a 12-point lead over Marquez entering the weekend, but the Motegi circuit's complete resurfacing forced Michelin to expand its tyre allocation, introducing a stiffer rear construction to address grip uncertainties.
- Several riders, including Pramac Yamaha's Jack Miller, publicly dismissed the harder-construction rear tyre as unviable, though Michelin Motorsport manager Piero Taramasso defended the expanded allocation, citing simulations to compensate for the lack of real-world asphalt data.
- By securing the Sprint victory, Marquez reduced his championship deficit to seven points, ensuring Sunday's main race carries immense weight for both title contenders with seven rounds remaining in the 2026 season.
- Aprilia seeks to break its historical podium-less streak at Motegi during Sunday's main race, though the circuit's stop-start character remains a persistent technical challenge for Martin and the manufacturer's package.
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Marc Márquez has added his seventh victory to the sprint of the season by winning this Saturday in the MotoGP Grand Prix of Japan. Although the Spaniard ended up ahead of the World Cup leader, Jorge Martín, and Enea Bastianini, these were sanctioned with a position for stepping on the green zone in the last round, the ... Continue reading "Marc Márquez dominates the sprint in Japan and is placed closer to Jorge Martín"
Marquez cuts the differences from Martin in the general classification by five points, which is now seven points, 306 points from the first against 313 points from the second.
Ducati's 33-year-old star Marc Marquez won the dramatic sprint race of the 17th round of the MotoGP season at the Motegi circuit in Japan. It was the Spanish phenomenon's first victory at the track in seven years and the 22nd victory of his career in the premier class sprint races. Marquez crossed the finish line in 20:50.376 minutes. However, behind him, a real administrative drama unfolded with a direct impact on the general classification. Jo…
The Spaniard wins in Motegi and shortens on the driver of Aprilia leader of the World Championship. Accident at the start between Alex Marquez, Di Giannantonio and Acosta
Martin in pole for the main race (ANSA)
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