An exciting starting position was ensured before the first Japanese GP in three years – but Jack Miller won in the end in a superior manner. SPEEDWEEK.com ticked the MotoGP race live.
In his 150th MotoGP race, Marc Márquez could have taken his 100th premier class podium from pole position. The gathered competition believed him capable of that, but the Repsol Honda star himself dampened expectations. In contrast to the rainy qualifying day, the track at the Mobility Resort Motegi was dry on Sunday. In the warm-up, the superstar had to take a fall, but with rank 4 he pulled out of the affair well in the end.
Ducati factory driver Jack Miller took the win in a superior manner, in the battle for second place, Red Bull KTM star Brad Binder prevailed against Pramac ace Jorge Martin.
The starting positions of the title contenders also ensured an exciting starting position, as Aleix Espargaró, Fabio Quartararo and Pecco Bagnaia had work to do from grid positions 6, 9 and 12. This was all the more true for Aprilia rider Espargaró, who had to switch bikes after the warm-up lap and chase after the field.
In the end, despite being 8th, Quartararo extended his lead in the championship table to 18 points after Bagnaia ended up in the gravel trap on the last lap.