Japan MotoGP Motegi Race Results: Marquez dominates as Rossi crashes

Marc Marquez reeled off a dominant tenth MotoGP World Championship victory of the season with another peerless display at the Twin Ring Motegi for the Japan MotoGP.

The Repsol Honda rider held his lead from pole position and despite briefly losing the advantage to Fabio Quartararo midway around the opening lap, he was back ahead only three corners later and was never troubled again thereafter.

The World Champion – who wrapped up his sixth premier class title last time out in Thailand – showed no sign of abating his momentum with the crown in his hands, dismissing the threat of Quartararo, who endured a lonely race until the final lap as he came under pressure from Andrea Dovizioso.

However, Quartararo held his nerve as his tyres began to fade to turn in a sixth MotoGP podium of the season – Yamaha’s first on home soil since 2015 – and officially wrap up the Rookie of the Year title.

The result also lifts Quartararo past Valentino Rossi in the overall standings after the Italian endured a nightmare race having run outside the top ten following a poor start before crashing with four laps remaining at turn one.

In a race that came alive in the closing stages as certain riders paid the price for their tyre choices, Dovizioso was one of the few to make gains in the closing stages, firstly seeing off the threat of Maverick Vinales with some quality defensive riding before very nearly getting the better of Quartararo on the final lap.

In fifth place, Cal Crutchlow recovered from a poor getaway to haul himself back into contention, capping off a strong performance by out-dragging Franco Morbidelli to the line to grab fifth. The Italian had been running in a podium position – having started on the front row – but faded late on.

Alex Rins finished just behind the duo in seventh, ahead of Suzuki team-mate Joan Mir, while Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller completed the top ten, the latter running as high as third before becoming the first rider to drop back due to excessive rear tyre wear.

Pol Espargaro held off Miguel Oliveira to finish as top KTM on a tough day for the Austrian manufacturer, with Pecco Bagnaia 13th, Mika Kallio 14th – his first points of the year – and Aleix Espargaro 15th having started ninth.

2019 Japan MotoGP – Twin Ring Motegi – Race Results