Márquez wins Motegi as Martín’s lead shrinks to two points

Marc Márquez won the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi on Sunday, finishing 1.363 seconds ahead of Jorge Martín to reduce Martín’s lead in the MotoGP championship to two points. Marco Bezzecchi took third. The result left Martín at the top of the standings, with Márquez close behind as the title contest continued. Martín had led the race before Márquez took the lead around the midpoint. Accounts differ on the exact corner where the decisive pass occurred, so the turn cannot be confirmed from the available reports. Márquez then controlled the race to the finish, while Martín was unable to regain the lead. Afterward, Martín said he had been managing fuel when Márquez attacked. He said the riders’ pace was similar, but that being in front gave Márquez an advantage in controlling the race. Martín also described difficulty responding once he had fallen behind, and said he had tried to keep pressure on Márquez. He called the race one of his strongest performances in terms of riding and strategy, while acknowledging that he had made some small errors. Second place carried significance for Martín and Aprilia: it was the manufacturer’s first podium at Motegi, according to the reports.