Márquez wins Japanese Grand Prix, closes to within two points of Martín
Spanish rider Marc Márquez won the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, cutting his gap to championship leader Jorge Martín to just two points.
Marc Márquez claimed victory at round 16 of the MotoGP world championship in Japan, riding for Ducati Lenovo. It was his sixth win of the season and one that significantly reshapes the title fight heading into the final stretch of the year.
Jorge Martín, on an Aprilia, started the race from pole position, but Márquez took over the lead midway through the race and held it to the finish, crossing the line 1.363 seconds ahead of Martín.
Podium and the sprint race
Third place in the main race went to Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi, also on an Aprilia, while his compatriot Enea Bastianini, riding for Red Bull KTM, finished fourth.
Márquez had already won Saturday's sprint race. Brazilian rider Diogo Moreira, on a Honda, finished second in that race, with Martín taking third.
Championship standings
After 16 of the 22 rounds scheduled this season, Martín remains at the top of the overall standings with 333 points. Márquez now trails him by just two points, setting up a tight battle for the title in the remaining rounds. Bezzecchi sits third with 284 points.
The MotoGP season will conclude in November. Last season, Márquez claimed his seventh career MotoGP championship title.
