MotoGP Round 16 Report | Bagnaia holds off Martin at Motegi

MotoGP Round 16 | Bagnaia holds off Martin at Motegi. The #1 stayed cool under pressure and the #89 too as Pedro Acosta crashed out and Marc Marquez vs Enea Bastianini went the other way on Sunday at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) brilliant 1:43.436 handed the South African Day 1 honours at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan as an incredibly competitive Friday afternoon Practice session played out at a dry Mobility Resort Motegi. Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) claimed P2, 0.033s away from the blistering Binder, with World Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) a further 0.099s shy in P3 as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) settles for P7.

A rookie on pole with a new lap record, track limits for an eight-time World Champion and a crash for the Championship leader make the headlines overflow after qualifying at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, with a fascinating grid set for our showdowns at Round 16.

Read our Round 15 report here…

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), just hours after being mathematically confirmed as Rookie of the Year, took a maiden pole in MotoGP™ with a new lap record. He became the first KTM/GASGAS rider to start from pole since Portugal 2020, and headed reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) after the #1 stayed cool to move up from P12. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) completed the front row as Aprilia got back in the mix at the front, making it three factories on Row 1.

Moto2

In mixed conditions on Friday at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, Filip Salač (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) topped both FP and Practice 1 to head into Saturday as the rider to beat in the Moto2™ class. The Czech rider’s new lap record, a 1:49.716, was 0.046s quicker than second place Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) as the Indonesian GP winner enjoyed a fruitful Friday in Motegi. Third place went the way of Marcos Ramirez, the OnlyFans American Racing Team rider was also less than a tenth shy of top spot. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) was at the sharp end throughout the day on home turf as the World Championship leader went into qualifying fourth on the timesheets.

Tricky conditions were the name of the game in Moto2™ qualifying and timing the table-topping lap to perfection was Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team). The Briton’s early 1:52.693 was enough to seal pole position by just 0.006s as Q1 graduate Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) secured his best Saturday result of the season in P2, while Indonesian GP winner Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) claimed P3.

Moto3

Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) ended a tricky opening day of action as the quickest rider in Moto3™, with a tenth and a half splitting the leading trio as Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) and title-hunting David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) enjoyed their opening day’s work in Japan having pocketed P2 and P3. Two home stars were able to bag opening day top five results as Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) headed into Saturday’s action in P4 and P5.

For the second weekend in a row, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) set a new lap record to take pole position – and what an effort it was. The #48’s 1:54.781 was the only sub-1:55 lap of a session that was completed (amazingly) with rain in the air, as Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) finished 0.356s down in P2. Meanwhile, Championship leader David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team), launched from P3 as the #80 aimed to wrap up the title.

Read the full MotoGP Round 16 practice and qualifying results here…

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) landed the spoils as he stayed flawless under pressure at the front, taking over after a heartbreaking crash out of the lead for rookie and polesitter Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3).

Bagnaia got a scrappier start but was able to make it back, just getting it under control in the braking area to nab the holeshot from Acosta. Bastianini then briefly got ahead of Acosta in the early stages before the rookie hit back, and behind them Martin and Marquez had made big gains. After the first shuffle concluded, Bagnaia, Acosta, Bastianini and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the leading quartet ahead of a small gap back to the #89-#93 duo in fifth and sixth.

The fireworks started there on Lap 2. Marquez went for it at T10 and got it done, but the two stayed close together in the race to catch the front four and Martin wasn’t ultimately able to reply. There were then more fireworks at the front as Acosta went for a late dive for the lead at Turn 5, likewise making that stick and forcing Bagnaia to tuck in behind. Bastianini remained close too, before the three gained a little more time in their wake as Binder pulled off to the side of the track with a technical issue, leaving some space.

From there, Acosta was on a charge. The rookie held the reigning Champion at bay and was looking strong, but then it all came apart. Already with his head in his hands as he slid across the gravel, the mistake was made and the win gone. Bagnaia took over in the lead, with Bastianini and Marquez on the chase.

Initially, it looked comfortable enough, but there were spots of rain threatening and the #93’s reputation preceded him. All over the back of Bastianini, he went for the move but the Beast wasn’t for turning. Marquez was briefly ahead, the two were side-by-side, and then the #23 Ducati was sailing back up the inside. Somehow, Bastianini got it stopped and was back into second – and then the two started eating into Bagnaia’s lead.

Metre by metre, the gap to the front disappeared as the grey skies threatened again. But half a second proved the limit for the duo on the chase, and the #1 crossed the line ahead by just over a tenth, with all three covered by 0.349 at the flag. Bagnaia’s win cut the gap back down to 15 points as Martin came home fourth, unable to get in the podium fight on Saturday. Bastianini’s second place, meanwhile, kept him just ahead of Marquez in the Championship and the two completing the podium ensured they made a gain – however small – on Martin overall. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) finished P5, just able to stay ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as his compatriot hounded him to the flag.

“Today it wasn’t the case of taking excessive risks, towards the end it started to rain again,” stated Bagnaia. “It’s a type of race that’s not particularly my style, but I worked hard to be able to push hard right from the start and by working you always improve.”

MotoGP Round 16 Tissot Sprint Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+0.181s)
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+0.349s)
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+2.498s)
Franco Morbidelli Pramac Ducati (+4.326s)

Sunday
MotoGP Round 16

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) held firm at the front at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, taking the lead and keeping his nerve as key title rival Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) applied the pressure throughout. Bagnaia nailed the start but polesitter Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) stayed aggressive to try and take the holeshot, coming up just short and wide enough to let Bagnaia through.

Fireworks started there nearly immediately as a huge shuffle kicked off, with Binder slightly wide, Bastianini going for that gap and Marquez trying to create another, the end result of which a couple of apexes later was actually Binder back ahead and Martin having picked his way through to fourth. Then Marquez went for Bastianini but Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) went for both.

Once that had been settled – for the moment – Marquez was back past Miller into fourth and Bastianini made it through not long after. Next, Marquez made a divebomb on Binder to take over in what had become third – with Martin up into second as drama had hit up ahead for Acosta. Out of the final corner, the Rookie of the Year just overcooked it and slid out from behind Bagnaia, losing the chance at his first MotoGP™ win from his first MotoGP™ pole. That put Martin into second from P11 on the grid, but new race leader Bagnaia now held a 1.5 second advantage. Lap by lap, however, that began to come down.

Meanwhile, Bastianini was on the back of Binder looking for a way through, and that proved hard to find. After a couple of attempts were parried by the South African, the Italian finally managed to slice through at Turn 3 and take over in fourth – just as the white flag went out. Yet, the rain largely stayed at bay. Enough for Bagnaia and Martin to keep the hammer absolutely down at the front, with the #1 seeming in control until the charge really started to seem ominous. It went down to one second, then eight tenths, as Martin homed in, but the #89 said a moment on the front end made him take stock. 20 points for a 10-point lead and no Sunday errors? Not priceless, but definitely a good buy.

Bastianini continued to bother Marquez in the fight for third, but the #23 just couldn’t quite get within striking distance. After the eight-time World Champion had headed wide earlier in the race, Bastianini had closed up but the gap was a concertina round the lap – from seven tenths back down to just under half a second, with no option to try a move.

Up ahead, Bagnaia kept it cool to hit back in the title fight and take his eighth win of the season, making 2024 his best year in terms of wins and bringing that gap back down to 10 points ahead of the final four race weekends of the year. But Martin’s charge from P11 on the grid was also a noteworthy one in the pendulum of ever-changing momentum, with Phillip Island now set up to see the fireworks start again. Marquez kept it tidy in the latter laps to give Bastianini no chance at a move, completing the podium and moving back to within two points of the Beast in the standings. Behind, Binder just lost out on fifth as Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) charged up the order to deny the South African.

“It wasn’t easy today to remain constant with the tyres. I think the pace was incredible in the first 10 laps. We have to move on to the next one with the same ambition, the same strategy and try to continue like this,” Bagnaia explained.

MotoGP Round 16 Race Results

Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati (+1.189s)
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati (+3.822s)
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo (+4.358s)
Franco Morbidelli Pramac Ducati (+17.940s)

Check out the full MotoGP Round 16 race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

Jorge Martin Pramac Ducati – 392
Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 382
Enea Bastianini Ducati Lenovo – 313
Marc Marquez Gresini Ducati – 311
Brad Binder Red Bull KTM – 183

Moto2

Wet or dry? That was the question asked of the Moto2™ field after a red-flagged stoppage in Japan – and the answer, eventually, was dry. Emerging as a Grand Prix winner for the first time was Manuel Gonzalez as the Spaniard’s slick tyre gamble worked a treat, with the QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™ star beating World Championship leader Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) by 2.5s as the Japanese home hero’s risky gamble also paid off in a big way. Filip Salač (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was another rider to choose the right tyres as the Czech star powered his Triumph-Kalex to a first podium of the season.

The intermediate class race began with a threat of rain looming in Motegi, but it was dry when the lights went out and pinching the holeshot was polesitter Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), as the Briton’s teammate Izan Guevara and Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) made contact at Turn 1 and 2, causing both riders to lose several positions. However, the rain had arrived at the top end of the circuit and before the opening lap could be completed, the red flags were waved. This meant the race would restart with original grid positions.

Following a short delay, a restarted race of 12 laps was declared as the riders and teams tried to work out whether to head out on wet or slick tyres. And dramatically, World Championship leader Ogura opted for slicks! At the end of the sighting lap, the Japanese star didn’t pit, so his choice was locked. The majority of the other riders chose wet tyres. Was it a masterstroke from Ogura? We were about to find out. Dixon got the holeshot again as Guevara made it an Aspar 1-2, with Ogura dropping to P14 at Turn 2. Van den Goorbergh, from P2, dropped to P22 on the opening lap as Ogura lost more places. At the end of Lap 1 of 12, Ogura was P14, 3.2s away from race leader Dixon.

Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) passed Guevara for P2 on Lap 2 as Ogura began to make progress. P7 was now the #79’s position, and that was soon P4. Then it was P3 at Turn 10, then it was P2 at Turn 11, then it was P1 at Turn 1 on the next lap. Stunning from Ogura. With nine laps to go, the slick tyre risk was paying off handsomely. Gonzalez was another rider on slick tyres, and the Spaniard was P2 on Lap 5. Dixon’s lap was over four seconds slower than Ogura’s as the slick tyre runners powered on through. The next of those was Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Racing Team), and the other two were Salač and van den Goorbergh as the Czech and Dutch riders sailed into the top five.

With six to go, Gonzalez was taking huge chunks out of Ogura’s lead. The Spaniard was 0.9s quicker on the previous lap, and while that battle was starting to fizz up, Salač, Alcoba and van den Goorbergh were jostling for the final podium spot. With four laps to go, Gonzalez was swarming all over the rear tyre of Ogura. A move came at Turn 9 and it was a clean one too. The #18 passed the #79 as Gonzalez stared down the barrel of a maiden Moto2™ win, with Ogura clinging onto a massive 20-point haul.

On Lap 11 of 12, the gap between the leading duo was a second. Gonzalez wasn’t streaking clear as the pre-pass pace suggested, but heading onto the last lap, the gap was 1.1s despite Ogura setting the fastest lap of the race. Would Gonzalez hold on for a dream debut Grand Prix victory? Yes he would. The slick tyre gamble paid off as Gonzalez led home title chase leader and home hero Ogura, as Salač fended off Alcoba to bag his first podium since the 2023 French GP. Alcoba was just 0.137s away from his first intermediate class podium in P4, as van den Goorbergh earned a career-best P5.

Moto2 Race Results

Manuel Gonzalez QJMOTOR Gresini
Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI (+2.535s)
Filip Salac Elf Marc VDS Racing (+9.103s)
Jeremy Alcoba Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team (+9.240s)
Zonta van den Goorbergh RW – Idrofoglia Racing GP (+14.758s)

Moto2 Championship Points

Ai Ogura MT Helmets – MSI – 228
Sergio Garcia MT Helmets – MSI – 168
Alonso Lopez Beta Tools Speed Up – 163
Aron Canet Fantic Racing – 156
Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team – 153

Moto3

Was it ever in doubt? David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) is your 2024 Moto3™ World Champion after #BabyGOAT raced to a phenomenal 10th victory of the season at the Japanese GP. Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) completed the rostrum in P2 and P3 respectively, as the crown was secured by the Colombian with four races to spare. From pole position, Ortola got a lovely start and beat Alonso to the holeshot, as Veijer slipped from P2 to P7. Meanwhile, from P9, Holgado made quick – and necessary – progress on Lap 1 to get past Alonso into P2 behind Ortola.

P3 became P5 for Alonso at the start of Lap 2 as both Leopard Racing Hondas, Angel Piqueras and Fernandez, carved past at Turn 1. At the start of Lap 3, Ortola led from Holgado and Fernandez, with Alonso back ahead of Piqueras in P4. Fernandez, after a phenomenal double overtake at Turn 5, pounced to P1 as Alonso was shuffled back to P7 having been passed by Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports).

With 11 laps to go, Fernandez was still leading but after briefly sitting behind Holgado, Ortola was now back in second place and setting record-breaking race laps at the Mobility Resort Motegi. Piqueras then passed Holgado to relegate the #96 to P4, with Yamanaka swarming all over the rear tyre of the Spaniard before a move from the Japanese rider came at Turn 5 with 10 laps to go. Now, Holgado was P5 and Alonso was P6. As things stood, the title race would continue in Australia.

On Lap 9 of 17, Holgado and then Alonso were back past Yamanaka at Turn 9. That was the #80’s first big move of the race, as the Colombian set the fastest lap of the race. P5 was soon P3 for Alonso as a mistake from Holgado at Turn 10 saw Alonso move into P3, but Holgado bit back at Turn 11. The wick had been turned up. With seven laps left, Alonso was in a Championship-winning position. P2 for Ortola, P3 for Alonso and P4 for Holgado was enough, but there was a long way to go. P3 then became P2 for Alonso at Turn 9 as Ortola was demoted to P3. Now it was all about how could Ortola and Holgado respond.

Ortola and Alonso exchanged P2 on Lap 13, as Veijer elbowed his way through on Holgado at Turn 5. Piqueras then crashed out of the lead group at Turn 10 to make it a lead group of five, with Yamanaka 0.6s away in P6. Four to go. Alonso, for the first time, led. But not for long. Fernandez fought back immediately as Ortola and Veijer went toe-to-toe. Turn 11 saw Alonso lead again as Holgado slammed it up the inside of Veijer to grab P4.

Three to go. As things stood, Alonso was the World Champion and there was a gap forming at the front. Fernandez made a small mistake at Turn 11 that cost him and Ortola time. Could that half a second be enough? Two to go. Ortola forced his way through on Fernandez and set his sights on Alonso, as Veijer pinched P4 from Holgado. That half a second advantage disappeared with a lap and a half to go, but at Turn 10, Ortola crashed. The polesitter was down and out of the podium fight, and this left Alonso with a 0.4s lead over Fernandez and Veijer heading into the final lap.

Last lap time. With Alonso P1 and Holgado P4, it was all but done. Veijer and Fernandez battled hard for P2 to allow Alonso to keep his 0.4s buffer, and the pack weren’t close enough to even think about making a move on Alonso. The Colombian rounded Victory Corner, fired his way to the chequered flag and became a Moto3™ World Champion in the only way he knows how in 2024 – by winning.

A 10th victory of the year, a record-breaking 14th Moto3™ win and the first Colombian World Champion. What a rider, what a win, what a World Champion. Congratulations David and to the whole Aspar outfit. Veijer beat Fernandez on the final lap to claim P2, as the latter made it two podiums from two. Holgado’s title hopes ended in Japan with a P4 finish, as Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top five.

Moto3 Race Results