Victory at Motegi

Ducati rider Marc Marquez won the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday at the Mobility Resort Motegi, completing a weekend sprint-race double. Starting second on the grid behind polesitter Jorge Martin, Marquez shadowed the Aprilia rider through the opening ten laps of the 24-lap race. On lap 11, Marquez took the lead with an inside move at the left-handed turn 9. The reigning champion then pulled clear, crossing the finish line 1.3 seconds ahead of Martin to secure his 79th career MotoGP victory and sixth Sunday grand prix win of 2026.

After stepping off the bike, Marquez reflected on how he managed the battle at the front.

The race was tough, especially when I was behind Jorge, but I knew that if I was able to lead the race, my pace was good. Jorge tried to attack, but then I just increased a bit more the pace and it was enough to do the last two laps more relaxed.

Championship battle tightens

The result reduces Martin's lead in the riders' championship to two points, with Martin on 333 points and Marquez on 331. Six rounds remain in the 2026 season, with a maximum of 222 points still available heading into the next race in Indonesia. Marco Bezzecchi took third place to secure Aprilia's first-ever podium at the Motegi circuit, keeping his third place in the standings with 284 points. Despite missing out on the win from pole position, Martin praised the pace of his bike.

I wanted to win but I think today it was really difficult to beat Marc. I rode almost perfectly. I was really smooth, really confident and even then I couldn't win.

Tyre strategy and the midfield battle

Tyre management dictated Sunday's race strategy after severe rear tyre degradation during Saturday's sprint race. Race organisers extended the Sunday morning warm-up session from 10 to 20 minutes, allowing teams to test Michelin's hard compound option. Consequently, the entire grid chose hard rear tyres paired with medium front tyres for the 24-lap main event. Behind the leading pair, Bezzecchi defended third place against a late charge from Tech3 KTM rider Enea Bastianini, who set several fast laps in the closing stages. Trackhouse Aprilia riders Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura crossed the line in fifth and sixth, followed by KTM rider Pedro Acosta in seventh and Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia in eighth.

Penalties and retirements

Several riders suffered setbacks during the 16th round of the championship season. Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquez received a double long-lap penalty for his involvement in a Saturday sprint collision with Pedro Acosta and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Alex Marquez served the penalty during the opening laps and later crashed out of the race. LCR Honda rider Diogo Moreira also crashed out following his maiden podium finish in Saturday's sprint. Fermin Aldeguer and Luca Marini rounded out the top ten in ninth and tenth respectively, while Ducati marked 100 victories under the leadership of general manager Gigi Dall'Igna.