Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team emerged victorious in the Japanese Sprint race around Motegi, after a dramatic crash robbed Pedro Acosta of his first premier class win. Enea Bastianini, Bagnaia’s teammate, secured a second-place finish, ensuring a one-two finish for the Ducati Lenovo Team. Marc Marquez of Gresini Racing MotoGP climbed from ninth to third place, earning his eighth sprint podium of the year in an impressive performance in Japan. Championship leader Jorge Martin had to settle for fourth place as he struggled to keep up with the top three riders running on soft tires.
The race got off to an intense start with Acosta losing his pole position to Bagnaia, who surged ahead to take the lead. Marquez and Martin also made strong starts, climbing to sixth and fifth place respectively on the opening lap. Acosta managed to retake the lead from Bagnaia on Lap 3 with a bold move around a dangerous corner. However, Marquez quickly made his presence felt by overtaking Martin to snatch fifth place as the top three riders began to pull away from the pack.
In a surprising turn of events on Lap 9, Acosta crashed out of the lead, handing the advantage to Bagnaia who went on to claim victory in the Sprint race. Meanwhile, Marquez engaged in a fierce battle with Bastianini for second place, but it was the Ducati Lenovo rider who ultimately secured the position. Despite multiple attempts to overtake, Marquez could not find a way past the Ducati riders and settled for third place, earning his eighth sprint podium of the season.
Bastianini put in a stellar performance at Motegi, securing second place in the Sprint race after holding off a determined Marquez. The Italian rider made a crucial move early in the race to move up from fourth to second position, setting his sights on the lead. Despite facing intense pressure from Marquez in the closing stages of the race, Bastianini remained resilient and managed to fend off the eight-time world champion to claim second place. His performance also solidified his position in the Riders’ Standings ahead of Marquez.
The race saw several key moments that impacted the outcome, including Bagnaia’s successful pole position usurping from Acosta, Acosta’s temporary lead reclaimed around a dangerous corner, Marquez’s impressive overtake on Martin, Acosta’s unfortunate crash while leading, and Bagnaia’s eventual victory in the Sprint race. The battle between Marquez and Bastianini for second place was also a defining moment in the race, with Bastianini showcasing his determination and skill to hold off the multiple attacks from Marquez. Overall, it was an action-packed and thrilling race that saw Bagnaia emerge as the deserving winner in Japan.
