(PRIMASPORT) MOTEGI – A Sprint Race packed with action and drama offers the best possible lead-up to the Japanese Grand Prix, but above all, a significant points haul for Marc Márquez, who further closes the gap on Jorge Martin in the standings. The championship leader, who had taken a historic pole position in qualifying, including the all-time track record at Motegi, finished third behind a sensational Diogo Moreira, partly due to a penalty for not respecting track limits on the final lap. The other major issue, however, is an abnormal and extremely severe degradation of the rear tire, a problem also suffered by Pecco Bagnaia. Marco Bezzecchi, on the other hand, is left to his own devices, his risky move to the medium instead of the soft proving completely counterproductive.
It's a shame, because Bezzecchi had made a perfect start: he was immediately third behind the two main title contenders, with Marc Marquez once again taking the lead right from the first corner, surprising Martin. Pedro Acosta quickly fell out of contention, having dominated in Austria but ending his Saturday in the gravel at Motegi, struck by an overly aggressive Alex Marquez. The blameless Fabio Di Giannantonio also suffered, having been forced to seek medical treatment: fortunately, he only sustained a bruise. The triple retirement didn't help Bagnaia, who had been thirteenth and returned to thirteenth after a mistake. A resurgent Enea Bastianini, however, rose to fourth place, taking advantage of Bezzecchi's difficulties on the third lap to become the leading duo's closest pursuer.
The medium rear tyre just wouldn't allow "Bez" to find an acceptable pace, so much so that Moreira and Ogura closed in behind him, both of whom overtook him on the fifth lap. The Rimini native was forced to settle for sixth place, dropping him to 45 points behind the championship lead: his chances of rejoining the title fight were increasingly slim. However, things could have been worse: the final part of the race seemed poised to bring about another duel at the front between Marquez and Martin, but the latter lost all momentum in the final two laps. Bastianini and Moreira swooped in on his exhausts, both chasing a suddenly possible second place.
At the finish line, nothing changes, but Martin and Bastianini's overly wide trajectory forces race officials to relegate them to the Brazilian, who thus secures a historic first podium for himself and, indeed, for all of Brazil in a Sprint Race. With the engines off, Enea is bitter, and for the world to see, he makes a dramatic VAR gesture with his fingers (but the hoped-for review of the incident never comes). Martin, on the other hand, is content and smiles at the finish line, despite only holding a seven-point lead in the standings over Marquez. The reason is that the Spaniard knows the truth: his Aprilia crossed the finish line despite a practically destroyed rear tire. Bagnaia, too, after struggling to climb to eleventh place, had to pit on the final lap with a rut in his tire: a variable that could prove even more crucial in Sunday's long race at Motegi. (PRIMASPORT)
