07:09
Current top nine is:
- Acosta
- Bagnaia
- Bastianini
- Marquez
- Martin
- Morbidelli
- Di Giannantonio
- Miller
- A.Marquez
Marc Marquez, 2024 Japanese MotoGP
2024 Japanese MotoGP: Sprint as it happened
Updates from Saturday’s sprint at the 2024 Japanese MotoGP as it happened.
After another dramatic weekend in Mandalika, 21 points separate Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia heading into the Japanese MotoGP.
Martin might have celebrated his first grand prix victory since Le Mans in May but an opening lap mistake by the Pramac rider in the Sprint meant Bagnaia still left Indonesia three points closer in the title fight.
Martin did the double at Motegi last year, winning a dry Sprint ahead of KTM’s Brad Binder before beating Bagnaia in the soaking wet grand prix, red-flagged after 12 laps due to the conditions.
Wet weather is again forecast during the 2024 event.
A Sunday crash in Mandalika for Enea Bastianini and engine failure for Marc Marquez have left their title hopes hanging by a thread, although they start this weekend just three points apart in the fight for third.
Marquez took his final Honda podium at Motegi last year.
Mandalika runner-up Pedro Acosta could again prove a thorn in the side of the Ducatis, while Binder will be looking to wrestle fifth in the standings back from his future team-mate.
Jack Miller was on the front row a year ago and is one to watch if the weather takes a turn for the worse.
The stop-and-go circuit will be a test of Aprilia’s braking progress, with Yamaha and Honda aiming to continue their top ten momentum in front of the factory bosses.
Pedro Acosta will start on pole after a track limits penalty denied Marc Marquez. Bagnaia is second, while a crash left Martin 11th.
The 12-lap Sprint race starts at 3pm (7am UK).
07:08
lap 4/12
Acosta leads Bagnaia, while Bastianini's pace has gone up massively and is onto the rear of his Ducati team-mate.
07:07
incident
Binder has a technical issue. He is dropping down the order.
07:07
Acosta would be doing Martin a favour here as the championship gap would shrink to only 16 points.
07:07
Acosta takes the lead from Bagnaia into Turn 5!
07:06
lap 3/12
Acosta sets the fastest lap with a 1m43.825s as Bagnaia leads onto lap three. Martin the slowest of the lead group.
07:06
Marquez gets up the inside of Martin at Turn 10 and takes fifth. Martin already has a track limits warning!
07:05
Marquez is much quicker than Martin at this stage too.
07:05
The top two are already 0.6s clear of Bastianini in third, who is under pressure from Binder.
07:04
Incident
Joan Mir has crashed at Turn 11. Rider ok.
07:04
lap 2/12
Bagnaia leads Acosta over the line from Bastianini, Binder, Martin and Marquez.
Vinales has had a horrible start and is 11th.
07:03
Bastianini has run wide at Turn 5 and Acosta is second again. Martin up to fifth from 11th. Marquez is sixth.
07:03
race start - lap 1/12
The sprint is go!
Bagnaia gets a great launch and leads into Turn 1. Bastianini is into second ahead of Acosta.
07:01
Everyone is on slick tyres. All on soft rear. Most on hard front. Miller, Rins on soft front. Augusto Fernandez on medium front.
07:00
The engines fire up and the riders head off to explore the conditions once more ahead of the race start.
06:55
Just five minutes till lights out!
06:52
This sprint will be just 12 laps, but flag-to-flag rules still apply.
We haven't had a flag-to-flag sprint yet. All second bikes in pitlane are there and waiting just in case.
06:49
The iffy conditions having only added to what is already a tense sprint race coming up.
Championship leader Jorge Martin is down in 11th after a Q2 crash and his chief rival Francesco Bagnaia is second on the grid.
06:47
The rain flag is being waved on the approach to Turn 3. Maverick Vinales, at least, is going to the grid on wet tyres.
It's not wet enough for those, so that's likely just to scrub a set in if he needs them.
06:45
Pitlane is open and the riders are heading out for a very important sighting lap.
06:43
There has been rain ahead of this sprint, which led to an odd Moto2 qualifying. But it's been on-and-off and not hard enough for full wet tyres.
06:41
starting grid
- Acosta, Bagnaia, Vinales
- Bastianini, Binder, Morbidelli
- Di Giannantonio, Bezzecchi, M.Marquez
- A.Marquez, Martin, Quartararo
- R.Fernandez, Miller, Espargaro
- Zarco, Mir, A.Fernandez
- Marini, Nakagami, Savadori
- Gardner
06:39
sprint build-up
Good morning and welcome back to our live coverage of what has already been a dramatic 2024 MotoGP Japanese GP.
The 12-lap sprint is just 20 minutes away and weather conditions are very uncertain.
03:32
Acosta is threatening Marquez's pole time on his last lap... then Marquez's time suddenly disappears!
Marquez exceeded track limits at Turn 4.
Pedro Acosta therefore takes pole position from Bagnaia and Maverick Vinales, with Marc Marquez dropping to 9th!
