Marquez in control for Japanese MotoGP victory

Full Japanese MotoGP race results

Marc Marquez has dominated to victory at the Japanese MotoGP having eased clear of Fabio Quartararo for his 10^th win of the season.

Having wrapped up the MotoGP riders’ world title last time out in Thailand, Marquez has secured the constructors’ crown for Honda in style with victory at Motegi having traded opening-lap overtakes with Quartararo before stretching clear.

In hotter conditions compared to the rest of the race weekend, Marquez maintained the tyre life in his medium front and rear rubber to remain out of reach of the Petronas Yamaha rider.

Quartararo, who has sealed the Rookie of the Year honour, was made to sweat over his second place due to a late attack from Andrea Dovizioso as the Italian rider conserved his medium rear tyre but left his charge one lap too late meaning he had to settle for third place for Ducati.

Maverick Vinales remained in touch with the podium trio but couldn’t bridge the gap in fourth place on the factory Monster Yamaha.

Further back, Cal Crutchlow produced a stunning last lap to leap up to fifth place for LCR Honda by mugging Franco Morbidelli in the sprint to the chequered flag. That forced the Petronas Yamaha rider back to sixth place but ahead of Suzuki’s Alex Rins in seventh place.

With Joan Mir taking eighth place for Suzuki he saw off Danilo Petrucci in ninth place for Ducati, as Jack Miller suffered a poor late race fade using the soft rear tyre to drop down to 10^th place having initially been fighting for the podium spots.

Valentino Rossi ended a disastrous Japanese MotoGP by crashing out of 11^th place at Turn 1 with a handful of laps to go, promoting Pol Espargaro into 11^th for Red Bull KTM.

Miguel Oliveira impressed for 12^th place on Tech3 KTM beating Pramac Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and Red Bull KTM’s Mika Kallio.

Aleix Espargaro grabbed the final point position in 15^th for Aprilia by fending off local rider Takaaki Nakagami who endured a tough final race of his season with a painful shoulder injury. The LCR Honda rider will undergo surgery and duly miss the final three rounds of the season with Johann Zarco coming in as replacement rider.

Jorge Lorenzo completed another miserable race down in 17^th place for Repsol Honda only ahead of Karel Abraham (Avintia Ducati), Hafizh Syahrin (Tech3 KTM) and Suzuki wildcard Sylvain Guintoli. Tito Rabat didn’t start the race for Avintia Ducati due to a hand injury.