Marquez, Bastianini out of the MotoGP title fight? Martin, Bagnaia respond…

Is the 2024 MotoGP world championship now a direct duel between Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia over the remaining five rounds?

That was the question put to the title leaders, currently separated by 21 points in the Pramac rider’s favour, at Motegi in Japan on Thursday.

Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez were also seen as outside contenders until last Sunday’s Mandalika race, where a costly crash and engine failure left the pair 75 and 78 points, respectively, from the top.

With just 185 points still to play for, they would need bad luck to strike both Martin and Bagnaia.

But in a season that has already seen Martin and Bagnaia suffer a combined 11 non-scores in 30 races, stranger things have happened.

“For sure Mandalika was a really intense weekend after me crashing on Saturday and then Enea and Marc out of the race on Sunday,” Martin said. “For me it's been a long time since I think that it'll be Pecco and me for the title.

“It's still five races, so there’s still a chance for them. They can do it for sure. I anybody can do it, it's them. But I feel it's quite difficult at the moment.

“So I feel it's more about Pecco and me.

“For me, it's a pleasure to be able to fight with a champion like Pecco, like Marc, an amazing rider like Enea. And let's see what happens.

“I think they have chances. But for sure it's quite difficult [for them].”

Bagnaia, who clinched his second MotoGP title in a Valencia finale showdown with Martin last season, agreed.

“From the start of the season, more or less, we [Jorge and I] have been making the difference between all the rest,” Bagnaia said. “It's true that until mathematically it will be impossible for Enea and Marc to be champions we have to consider them.

“We know perfectly, me and Jorge, how easy it is to have a mistake, to have a crash this season. So it's something that can change quickly.

“I will consider them until mathematically it will be impossible. But it's also true that from halfway through the season we are the two that are leading the races, leading the sessions.

“So I think until Valencia it will be like this.”