Marc Marquez wins Japan MotoGP Sprint, cuts Martin’s title lead to 7 points

Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez won the Japanese Sprint on Saturday, cutting Jorge Martin’s championship lead to seven points after his title rival earlier claimed pole position at Motegi.

Martin set a new lap record of 1 minute, 42.371 seconds at the Mobility Resort Motegi to take pole, beating Marquez by 0.110 seconds.

Pedro Acosta qualified third to complete the front row, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez.

But Marc Marquez turned the tables in the Sprint, taking the holeshot from Martin and controlling the race from the front.

The Ducati rider crossed the line in 20 minutes, 50.376 seconds to claim his seventh Sprint victory of the season.

Martin initially finished second but received a one-position penalty for exceeding track limits on the final lap, dropping him to third.

The penalty promoted rookie Diogo Moreira to second, giving the Brazilian his first MotoGP Sprint podium.

Enea Bastianini, who also received a one-position track-limits penalty, finished fourth.

Marquez collected 12 points for the victory, while Martin earned seven, reducing the Aprilia rider’s championship lead from 12 points to seven ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Ai Ogura finished fifth, followed by Marco Bezzecchi, Johann Zarco and Raul Fernandez, while Fabio Quartararo took the final point in ninth.

Alex Marquez, Pedro Acosta and Fabio Di Giannantonio retired after a first-lap collision at Turn 3.

The 24-lap Japanese Grand Prix is scheduled to begin at 1400 local time (0500GMT) Sunday.

– Japanese Grand Prix starting grid

1. Jorge Martin
2. Marc Marquez
3. Pedro Acosta
4. Marco Bezzecchi
5. Alex Marquez
6. Fabio Di Giannantonio
7. Enea Bastianini
8. Raul Fernandez
9. Diogo Moreira
10. Johann Zarco
11. Ai Ogura
12. Fabio Quartararo
13. Francesco Bagnaia
14. Franco Morbidelli
15. Somkiat Chantra
16. Luca Marini
17. Brad Binder
18. Fermin Aldeguer
19. Maverick Viñales
20. Jack Miller
21. Alex Rins
22. Toprak Razgatlioglu