MotoGP: Marquez takes pole in Japan ahead of Martin and Bezzecchi

The Aprilia bikes took four of the top six places in the Japanese Grand Prix, but there was little they could do to challenge Marc Marquez’s factory Ducati or prevent the Spanish champion from winning, following up on yesterday’s Sprint race victory. This one-two finish sees the reigning world champion move to within just two points of the championship leader, his compatriot Jorge Martin, who, riding the factory Aprilia, secured two second-place finishes to defend his lead as best he could, with six races remaining in the season. Marco Bezzecchi also took a place on the podium on the other Aprilia, managing to hold off a rampant Enea Bastianini on the KTM right up to the finish line, whilst fifth and sixth places went to the Trackhouse riders Raul Fernandes and Ai Ogura.

Starting from pole position, Martin tried to pull away, but within a few laps Marquez – having left Bezzecchi behind – closed the gap and, just before the halfway point of the race, on lap 11, took the lead, subsequently maintaining a pace that Martin’s Aprilia could not match. “Scoring maximum points over the weekend was very important,” commented Marquez, who secured his sixth win of the season in a full-distance race. “The race was tough, especially when I was behind Jorge, but I knew that if I managed to get to the front, my pace would be good. Martin tried to attack, but I stepped up the pace and that was enough to win comfortably.”

Martin said he had “a competitive package to fight for the rest of the season”, but admitted that Marquez was better. “I think it was really difficult to beat Marc today,” said Martin. “I rode almost perfectly; I was very smooth and confident, yet I still couldn’t win.” Bezzecchi was hoping to do better than in yesterday’s Sprint race, where he had just missed out on the podium, and he succeeded, but he admitted that his two rivals “are faster at the moment. “After my injury, I need to get my speed back from the start of the weekend, when I was already at a good level right from FP1,” explained the rider from Rimini, who now trails Martin by 49 points. “I arrived here following a bereavement and I was keen to do well, but it was tough. Enea Bastianini put me under pressure in the closing stages, but I really wanted this podium and I managed to secure it.”

Ducati also celebrated its 100th victory under the leadership of its managing director, Gigi Dall’Igna, but there was a bitter smile for Francesco Bagnaia, who finished eighth behind Pedro Acosta’s KTM, having also benefited from Alex Marquez’s crash whilst riding the Gresini Ducati. On the circuit where he had won last year, the Piedmontese rider finished over twenty seconds behind Marc Marquez. Luca Marini also made it into the top 10 on his factory Honda. The World Championship leaves no time for rest, and as early as Thursday the riders will be in Indonesia for the next race. Marquez will have the chance to cap off his long pursuit of the top spot in the standings, even though the track on the island of Lombok is not his favourite and is one of the very few on which he has not won.