Marc Marquez has slashed Jorge Martin’s MotoGP championship lead to just two points after completing a dominant double at the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider followed up his Sprint victory by beating Martin in Sunday’s 24-lap race at Mobility Resort Motegi, taking his 79th MotoGP victory and moving to 331 points in the 2026 championship.
Martin, riding for Aprilia Racing, finished second to retain the championship lead on 333 points, while Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi completed the podium after holding off a late charge from Enea Bastianini. Martin made the better start from pole position and led Marquez through the opening laps, with Bezzecchi settling into third. The leading pair quickly began to pull clear, with Bezzecchi 1.9 seconds behind by Lap 10.
Marquez made his move on Lap 11, diving up the inside of Martin at Turn 9 and taking control of the race. Martin remained within striking distance and briefly reduced the gap to 0.7 seconds, but Marquez responded with a 1:43.291 fastest lap to rebuild his advantage to more than a second.
The reigning world champion eventually crossed the line 1.2 seconds ahead of Martin, securing his fourth MotoGP victory at Motegi and completing a perfect weekend in Japan. Behind them, Bastianini produced a late charge on the KTM Tech3 machine, setting four consecutive fastest laps as he closed rapidly on Bezzecchi.
The Italian arrived on Bezzecchi’s rear wheel on the final lap but could not find a way past, leaving Bezzecchi to take third and Bastianini fourth. Raul Fernandez finished fifth for Trackhouse, winning a close battle involving home rider Ai Ogura and Pedro Acosta.
Francesco Bagnaia was eighth, followed by Fermin Aldeguer and Honda rider Luca Marini to complete the top 10. Brad Binder, Fabio Quartararo, Somkiat Chantra, Maverick Viñales and Franco Morbidelli completed the points scorers.
Bezzecchi remains third in the standings, 49 points behind Marquez, with the title fight now firmly reduced to a two-rider battle between Martin and the reigning champion. With Martin leading Marquez by only two points, the championship now heads to Indonesia and the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Lombok on October 9.
The post Motegi sees Marquez behind Martin by two points appeared first on Paul Tan’s Automotive News.
