Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia chose the perfect moment to remind the paddock of his class. The two-time MotoGP World Champion delivered a commanding performance in Saturday’s Tissot Sprint at Motegi, storming to victory for the Ducati Lenovo Team and finishing 1.8 seconds clear of his returning teammate Marc Márquez. The result not only restored Bagnaia’s confidence after a lean spell, but also brought the #93 within touching distance of his seventh MotoGP crown.
With Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing) managing only 10th place and failing to score points, the championship mathematics shifted dramatically. If Marc scores a podium on Sunday, the title fight will be settled in his favour. Adding further spice, rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) overcame an eventful day to clinch third, salvaging pride for KTM in front of the passionate Japanese crowd.
A Chaotic Start: Bagnaia Grabs the Holeshot as Aprilia Suffer Double Disaster
From pole position, Bagnaia rocketed into the lead with a textbook holeshot, while Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) slotted into second. But behind them, disaster struck Aprilia Racing. Jorge Martín misjudged his braking into Turn 1, lost control, and slid helplessly into the pack, taking Marco Bezzecchi down with him. The incident immediately ended both riders’ races — a cruel blow to Bezzecchi’s season, and devastating for Martín, who suffered a broken collarbone that rules him out of Sunday’s main event.
Marc Márquez initially slipped to fourth behind Acosta, while Alex Márquez found himself ninth at the end of Lap 1. With Alex being the only rider capable of mathematically stopping Marc from sealing the championship this weekend, the Gresini rider’s poor start already put him on the back foot.
Acosta was flying in the early stages. The Spaniard swept past Mir at Turn 5 to snatch second and briefly looked capable of chasing Bagnaia. But at the front, Bagnaia was in full control, hammering out back-to-back fastest laps to stretch his lead to 0.8 seconds by Lap 3.
Marc Márquez Turns the Screw
For several laps, Marc Márquez sat patiently behind Mir, twice attempting lunges that didn’t stick. As the Sprint reached its midpoint, Bagnaia’s advantage had ballooned to 1.6 seconds, while Acosta was half a second clear of the Mir–Márquez battle. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) rounded out the top five, hanging on gamely.
Then came the turning point. With four laps to go, Marc Márquez executed a typically uncompromising block pass on Mir at Turn 10 — hard, aggressive, but clean enough to stick. One lap later, the same corner became the stage for Márquez’s next strike as he forced his way inside Acosta to snatch second place. It was the kind of sequence that epitomised Márquez: calculated patience, followed by clinical ruthlessness.
As Alex Márquez slipped further backwards to 10th, even losing out to Japanese home hero Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP), the title equation swung heavily in Marc’s favour.
Vintage Bagnaia Seals the Deal
By the time the final lap arrived, Bagnaia was over two seconds clear and cruising. The Italian’s pace had been untouchable all afternoon, and he crossed the line to claim his first Sprint win of the year — a victory he later described as his “biggest relief in five years.”
Behind him, Marc Márquez’s second place was worth far more than silverware. It put him on the brink of championship glory, needing only a safe podium finish on Sunday to become a seven-time MotoGP World Champion. Acosta, despite late pressure from Mir, clung on for third by just six-tenths of a second, delivering KTM another rostrum finish in a breakthrough rookie campaign.
Sprint Results: Motegi’s Key Finishers
- 1st – Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
- 2nd – Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team)
- 3rd – Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
- 4th – Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol)
- 5th – Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
- 6th – Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
- 7th – Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol)
- 8th – Raul Fernández (Trackhouse MotoGP)
- 9th – Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP)
- 10th – Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
The Championship Picture
The equation could not be simpler: if Marc Márquez finishes on the podium on Sunday, he will clinch the 2025 MotoGP title, regardless of what Alex does. For Alex, the task is monumental — he must beat his brother decisively to delay the inevitable and carry the fight to Indonesia.
Sunday promises tension, high stakes, and the possibility of a coronation.
The Riders Speak
- Bagnaia: called the win a “huge relief” and admitted it felt like rediscovering his best form.
- Marc Márquez: confessed that the weight of the title fight was beginning to make him tense, noting that “the consequences of a mistake are bigger now.”
- Joan Mir: was upbeat after finishing fourth, describing his battle with Marc as proof of Honda’s progress.
- Jorge Martín: left crestfallen, his season disrupted once again by cruel fortune after the Turn 1 crash and broken collarbone.
Moto2: González Seizes Pole, Canet Stuck in the Pack
he drama extended into Moto2, where Manuel González (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) delivered a statement pole. With Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) only managing fifth, González’s effort gives him momentum in the title race. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), level on points with Moreira but with fewer wins, suffered a nightmare Saturday — eliminated in Q1 and condemned to start a lowly P22.
Dani Holgado and David Alonso (both CFMoto Power Electronics Aspar) completed the front row, while Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS) and Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) slotted in just behind. Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing) fought through Q1 to secure a respectable slot ahead of local favourite Ayumu Sasaki (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP).
Moto3: Rueda Returns to Pole
In Moto3, José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) reclaimed top spot with a last-gasp flyer that edged out Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) by just under a quarter of a second. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA) completed the front row, narrowly missing out on pole in the dying seconds.
Angel Piqueras (MT Helmets – MSI) lined up fourth, keeping himself firmly in contention for the title, while Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) carried the hopes of the home fans with a strong fifth. Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) rounded out the second row.
Behind them, David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Intact GP) secured seventh, just ahead of promising rookie Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar).
Looking Ahead: Sunday Showdown
Saturday at Motegi had everything: crashes, comebacks, and a statement win from Bagnaia. But the bigger story is still Marc Márquez, who stands on the edge of history. If Sunday goes to plan, Japan will witness the coronation of a seven-time MotoGP World Champion. If not, the fight continues — and Alex Márquez will be the man holding the keys to prolonging the battle.
One thing is certain: MotoGP is back in business, and the stakes have never been higher.
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