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Last-lap drama sees two stars demoted as tyre sight stuns
Marc Marquez won his seventh MotoGP sprint race of the year and narrowed his championship deficit to compatriot Jorge Martin to seven points with a lights-to-flag victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, the reigning world champion extending Ducati’s sprint dominance at Motegi to four consecutive years on Saturday.
Marquez, who sealed his seventh MotoGP world championship and first since 2019 in Japan 12 months ago, finished 2.754secs ahead of first-time sprint podium finisher Diogo Moreira , the Brazilian rookie promoted two places when Martin and Enea Bastianini were each penalised one position for breaching track limits at turn 10 on the final lap of the 12-lap sprint. Martin, who spent the entire race behind Marquez after ceding position to his compatriot from pole, lost two world championship points for his last-lap indiscretion, while Bastianini’s penalty opened the door for reigning Moto2 champion Moreira to finish on the premier-class rostrum for the first time.
The sprint got off to an explosive start when Ducati’s Alex Marquez, from fifth on the grid, skittled fellow Ducati rider and his 2027 KTM teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio and KTM’s Pedro Acosta at the third turn on the first lap, all three riders instantly out of the race in an incident that landed Marquez a double long-lap penalty for Sunday’s full-length Japanese Grand Prix. Marc Marquez was oblivious to the drama unfolding behind him, with fellow title rival Marco Bezzecchi sliding to sixth place after a gamble to be one of just two riders to use the medium-compound Michelin tyre backfiring as he finished 6.984secs from victory.
“The target was the front row from qualifying to be in the best place to do a good sprint race,” Marquez said after his 22nd career sprint victory and first in Japan. “We did a small modification before the race and I felt much better on the bike, I was comfortable in the first position. Job done … and tomorrow, more.
” After Alex Marquez wiped out Acosta and Di Giannantonio three corners in, Marc Marquez built a lead of six-tenths of a second after just two laps, extending that to over one second for the first time on lap six.
Martin sat in his compatriot’s wheeltracks without ever challenging after the first few corners before the Motegi track surface, with brand-new asphalt laid since last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, began to impact several riders; Martin’s pace with a clearly-worn rear tyre plummeted on the final lap and led to his track limits penalty, while reigning two-time Japanese GP sprint winner Francesco Bagnaia pitted on the final lap, his rear tyre unrideable as he battled on the fringes of the top 10. From 20th on the grid, Australia’s Jack Miller – who, along with Bezzecchi, used the medium rear tyre - finished 16th and 22.282secs from victory for Pramac Yamaha.
In Moto2, Australia’s Senna Agius – who is yet to score a world championship point at Motegi in three previous visits – qualified 10th on a Kalex, while in Moto3, compatriot Joel Kelso will start a season-worst 23rd on the grid after qualifying 17th, the Honda rider hit with a six-place grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement in practice. The 24-lap Japanese Grand Prix, round 16 of MotoGP’s 22-round 2026 season, will take place at 4pm on Sunday.
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