The MotoGP series visited the Motegi track in Japan this weekend. The track is owned by Honda and is considered the home race for both the Honda and Yamaha factories. Both of these factories continue to struggle, however, and neither of them placed a rider in the top ten at the checkered flag of the Sprint or the full GP race.
Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) won both the Sprint and Sunday’s GP, cutting Jorge Martin’s championship points lead to ten points heading into the next round at Phillip Island.
Martin (Ducati) had an uncharacteristically poor qualifying at Motegi where he was forced to start both races from the 4th row of the grid. In the Sprint, he charged through the pack to finish 4th, and came all the way up to a 2nd place finish in Sunday’s race.
The podium finishers behind Bagnaia on Saturday included Enea Bastianini (Ducati) in second and Marc Marquez (Ducati) in third.
In Sunday’s race, the podium included Bagnaia and Martin finishing ahead of 3rd place Marquez.
For full results and points for Saturday’s Sprint race, visit the MotoGP site here. For full results and points for Sunday’s MotoGP race, visit the MotoGP site here.
the Japan race seemed like a race from old, the top riders stretched out ahead of all the others, and only one of them, Acosta, crashed out. Bagnaia kept MM93 honest, Martin kept Pecco honest. and yes in the room afterwards, commenting to each other “oh in this turn my front end was sliding, I only kept it up with my elbow”, “it was like that every lap”. “push, push, push”. All good stuff. with only 4 races left, it seems its a Pecco Jorge battle to the end. Bagnaia Marquez just had too much misfortune in previous races to be in contention. Pecco will be the only one on the same team next year, out of those 4. how Marq and Pecco will work out on the same team, time will tell.
Good comments Joe, but a couple times you typed Bagnaia when you meant to type Bastianini. Here’s what you meant to type:
Bastianini kept MM93 honest, Martin kept Pecco honest.
Bastianini Marquez just had too much misfortune in previous races to be in contention.
And there’s no question that it’s “a Pecco Jorge battle to the end.” Both Bastianini and Marquez are out of contention following Japan (79 and 81 points behind Martin, respectively.)
not enough coffee yet, yes Bastianni, not Bagnaia. Pecco went pretty much flag to flag.
Pretty boring racing other than the 2 and 3 classes.
I find it interesting how they put the podium finishers together in a room right after the race, prior to going onstage and receiving their trophies. The riders obviously know they’re being recorded, but they still have interesting banter and offer good insights to the race.
I also like how Bagnaia and Martin are cordial and relatively friendly afterwards. Some of it could be for show, but Pecco is genuinely a nice person, and Martin has matured as a rider and adult and seems easier to like this season than last.
In the end, while they are fierce competitors on the track, and I’m sure if they had bad blood after each race it would make for more dramatic television, but at the end of the day, they’re both richly rewarded in a profession that they both love, so what’s wrong with being friendly ? Hope it’s genuine, and hope it lasts after the season’s final race.
As to who I’m rooting for, I can honestly say I’d be pleased with either rider taking the championship trophy. They’re both each more than deserving, Pecco as mentioned is an all-around good guy, and while Martin still might be a little rough around the edges, being on the non-factory team means that his road has been somewhat tougher, and why not root for him to finally be the Champion this year? Bagnaia would become a legend with a third consecutive Championship, but it’d be nice to spread it around and see Martin get the recognition that only comes from winning the Championship.
No matter wheat else happens, we’re in for a treat during these remaining 4 races, and let the best rider win.
I never did road race. Never thought much of the tracks. But I did race enduro and hare scramble, motocross, dirt track, observed trials, ice, supermoto and stuff like that. I have found that, with almost no exception, that racers are usually quite friendly among each other. I guess maybe motocrosers are a little more on the charged end of the spectrum while the observed trials guys would be on the absolute salt of the earth end. But yeah. Racing often provides you with a riding venue that you wouldn’t otherwise have access to. But that’s only half of it. The other part is the great people you meet and hang out with.
It would be nice for Martin to win before getting a difficult bike. Quartararo won once. That was cool. He’s a good rider. Bastianini has a tough row to hoe. Poor guy.
Ducati is crazy for not hanging on to Martin and Bastianini. Too busy trying to dredge up the past to build a valuable future.
my feeling is that, as far as a valuable future goes, repsol is coming to ducati along with mm93.
Thereby leveling the playing field and getting other manufacturers on the podium.
-Ducati is crazy for not hanging on to Martin and Bastianini. Too busy trying to dredge up the past to build a valuable future-
wasn’t it Martin who chose to leave Ducati (because he was not given a full factory bike in 2025) even though he had the same full factory bike?
Bastianini seems to have woken up the last handful of races but, honestly, what had he done up until the time came for the factory team to decide who rides their bikes in 2025? not much at all in my opinion.
You do realize of course that of the top four riders in the premier standings, all but one are riding the faster 2024 bikes?
the rider being dredged up from the past is riding a (completely new and different to him) year old hand me down and doing very well with it.
the current and defending MotoGP champion has said that he knows this year’s championship is meaningless with regards to determining who the better rider is between himself and the old guy from the past and that it will be next year, when they are on the same bike, when that will be decided.
Just say’n.
These guys have been racing each other since they were little kids. They learned long before they arrived here in GP that they’re colleagues as well as competitors. They’re stuck with each other for the rest of their careers so it only makes sense to maintain civil relationships. I imagine that the racers who are too hot headed just don’t make it.