Motegi delivered another crucial chapter in the 2026 MotoGP title fight as Marc Márquez produced a commanding performance to win Saturday’s Sprint and dramatically close the gap to championship leader Jorge Martín. Starting from second on the grid, the Ducati rider made the perfect launch, overtook Martín at the first corner and controlled all 12 laps to claim his seventh Sprint victory of the season.
Martín had earned pole position earlier in the day after setting a new Motegi lap record, with Márquez alongside him and Pedro Acosta completing an all-Spanish front row. However, the Aprilia rider could do little to respond when Márquez attacked immediately after the lights went out. By the third lap, the Ducati had opened a gap of around six tenths and began managing the advantage rather than risking an unnecessary battle.
The opening lap also produced one of the biggest incidents of the Sprint. Álex Márquez made contact with Acosta at Turn 2, taking both riders out of contention, while Fabio Di Giannantonio was also caught up in the incident. The crash dramatically reshaped the fight behind the leaders and allowed several riders to gain valuable positions as the race settled down.
Martín remained firmly in second for most of the race, but his Sprint podium was not safe until the chequered flag. Enea Bastianini crossed the line third, while Brazilian rookie Diogo Moreira finished fourth on the road. Both Martín and Bastianini were subsequently handed one-position penalties for exceeding track limits on the final lap, promoting Moreira to a sensational second place and Martín to third. It was the rookie’s first MotoGP Sprint podium.
Further back, Ai Ogura finished fifth in front of Marco Bezzecchi, while Johann Zarco, Raúl Fernández and Fabio Quartararo completed the remaining points-paying positions. Francesco Bagnaia suffered a particularly frustrating afternoon, eventually retiring with a rear-tyre problem after a piece of the tyre was reportedly missing.
For Márquez, however, the result was exactly what he needed. The victory reduced Martín’s championship advantage from 12 points to just seven, with the Spaniard now on 313 points compared with Márquez’s 306. After taking control from the very first corner and never surrendering the lead, the reigning champion leaves Saturday’s Sprint with momentum on his side — and the main race at Motegi still to come.
MiniBikers – MotoGP
2026 Japanese GP
Sprint Race
Deja un comentario