The Japanese Grand Prix has seen Marc Márquez on the top step of the podium for the seventh time this season, after commanding the 125cc race with authority. The Repsol rider, starting from pole, was second in the first lap and after studying Nico Terol, he overtook him during the eighth lap to set an unbeatable pace to the finish line. With this result, Márquez tightens up the championship again and is 6 points behind leader, Terol, and 7 ahead of Espargaró, third.
Despite repeated forecasts that predicted rain for today, the sun and good temperatures did not influence this final Sunday of the thirteenth Grand Prix of the season, in which Marc Márquez has been the leading player. Starting from the first position on the starting grid, the result of the good work done with his team during the two practice days, Emilio Alzamora’s protégé got off to a good start in Motegi.
Despite that, before reaching the second turn, Márquez was overtaken by Nico Terol, who took the initiative during the opening moments of the race. The Repsol rider kept calm, waited for his tyres to reach the optimum temperature and took advantage to study his rival, current championship leader. Both proved to be a step ahead of the rest of the pack and quickly pulled away. After the first lap, they already had a one-second advantage and in the third lap they increased it to two seconds over their immediate pursuers.
After seven laps, Márquez decided to jump into action and overtook the Valencian rider, immediately opening a gap that he gradually increased lap-by-lap. Then, Márquez brought out all of his power, setting a superior pace, the same as he had already demonstrated during the practice sessions – constantly riding at 1 minute and 58 seconds –. With this new victory, which the Repsol rider dedicated to Repsol rider Dani Pedrosa, Márquez closes in on the 125cc title lead, starting the most important part of the year, in which the title will be decided, in the best possible way.
With just 100 points in play, Marc Márquez is second in the overall standings, 6 points behind Nico Terol and seven ahead of Espargaró, third.
Marc Márquez, 1st 39’46.937 sec. >> Audio
“We were quite sure in the practice sessions that we had the best pace and that Nico [Terol] would be the toughest rival who we would have to watch out for, and that’s how it was. During the first few laps, I saw that Nico was riding hard on the new tyres and decided to let a few laps pass. When they started wearing out and I noticed that the rear tyre of his bike was sliding and suffering, I decided to overtake him and try to open a gap, although careful not to go too fast so as not to make any mistakes because there are a lot of hard braking areas here and it’s easy to make a mistake. The most important thing we did was to keep focused to the end, which on this circuit is very difficult and the end seemed eternal. Now we are heading to Malaysia with our confidence boosted. I would like to dedicate this victory to Dani Pedrosa; he has always been my idol and now he is injured, so I would like to send him all my best and a hug from here”.
