A race full of control and strategy
Francesco Bagnaia started from pole position and immediately took the lead. Bagnaia pulled away in the first few corners, while Pedro Acosta (KTM) and Marc Marquez (Ducati) gave chase. Joan Mir (Honda) slotted into fourth place. As the race progressed, Bagnaia continuously extended his lead and delivered a consistent performance despite brief smoke coming from his exhaust. The bike held up, allowing Bagnaia to cross the finish line after 24 laps with a comfortable lead.
After the race, Bagnaia said: “First of all, I don’t want to steal Marc’s thunder – he deserves every headline today. But in any case, I’m happy. I’m a little ashamed that it’s only happened now, but still: I’m satisfied with the weekend.” The Italian emphasized that after a difficult season, he now has confidence in himself and the team again.
Marc Marquez: Triumph after six years without a world championship title
Marc Marquez had an emotional Sunday. The Spaniard had fought his way back impressively after injuries and difficult years. With his second place, he had enough points to secure the world championship title with five races to go before the end of the season. In the 2025 season, Marquez impressed with 11 race wins, 14 sprint victories, a total of 31 podium finishes, 8 pole positions, and 18 fastest race laps – scoring a total of 541 points out of a maximum possible 629.
Marquez summed up his feelings: “It’s hard to find the words to describe how I feel right now. After the challenges and injuries of recent years, I kept fighting and can now say that I am at peace with myself. That was my biggest challenge. I am proud to have made this decision and to have made it back to the top with Ducati.”
Joan Mir brings Honda back to the podium
Behind Marquez, an exciting battle for third place developed. Joan Mir (Honda) prevailed in his duel with Pedro Acosta and, after a long dry spell, celebrated his first podium since the 2021 Algarve GP and the first for Honda in quite some time. Mir emphasized after the race: “It’s been a long time, a very long time without this feeling. I think this moment came at just the right time for us. We fought so hard for it. Many thanks to the team for the work they have done.”
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) finished the race in fourth place, followed by Franco Morbidelli (VR46-Ducati). Alex Marquez (Gresini-Ducati) finished sixth, effectively ending his World Championship title hopes. In the overall World Championship standings, he now trails his brother by 201 points after Motegi, with 185 points still up for grabs – Marquez is now the undisputed World Champion.
Other placings and technical retirements
Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse-Aprilia), Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), Johann Zarco (LCR-Honda), and Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini-Ducati) completed the top ten. No KTM rider made it into the top 10 this time, with Enea Bastianini (Tech3) and Brad Binder finishing eleventh and twelfth.
Three riders had to retire from the race early: Luca Marini (Honda) gave up due to technical problems, Takaaki Nakagami (Honda) crashed after running off into the gravel trap, and Jack Miller (Pramac-Yamaha) broke his chain. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse-Aprilia) did not start his home race due to injury.
Voices from the Ducati camp: Team spirit and passion as the secret to success
Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, praised the cooperation of all those involved after winning the title again: “We are world champions for the fourth time in a row, which shows that talent, competence, and dedication make the difference. Behind every success is a team that works meticulously on every detail.”
Ducati Corse General Manager Luigi Dall’Igna also highlighted Marquez’s performance and the collective commitment of the team: “We are celebrating the success of a champion who has fought his way back to the top. The value of this victory is marked by passion, hard work, and team spirit.”
Lenovo President Luca Rossi praised the partnership with Ducati and emphasized the importance of innovation and technology in motorsports.
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