OMNISPORT/Dorna Communications

Marc Marquez secured his third successive MotoGP championship after title rival Andrea Dovizioso crashed out in a dramatic moment at the Japan GP.

Dovizioso handed Honda superstar Marquez a fifth MotoGP crown when he sensationally lost control of his bike on the penultimate lap at Motegi on Sunday. Ducati pole-setter Dovizioso was second behind Marquez before his bike washed out from underneath him at Turn 10 as the Honda team celebrated – the Italian rider crossing the line in 18th.

The race for the championship looked set to continue at Phillip Island next month after Dovizioso – 77 points adrift of Marquez heading into the fourth-last GP of the season – led for most of the race and refused to let the Spaniard pull clear.

Fans in Japan were about to be treated to a thrilling final lap after Marquez and last year's race winner Dovizioso continued to overtake each other.

Marquez had leapfrogged Dovizioso, who momentarily dropped to third behind Cal Crutchlow, but the Italian moved back to the top immediately with 11 laps remaining.

Dovizioso, however, fell behind Marquez again with three laps to go and it was a lead that he never relinquished after the former crashed.

Marquez's Honda compatriot Crutchlow took second, ahead of Suzuki's Alex Rins, with Valentino Rossi fourth.

Moto2

Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up) produced a quality ride to seal a second victory of the season as he held firm to beat Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) claiming third on his 100th Grand Prix start.

It was Quartararo who got the initial launch from P2 to get past pole man Bagnaia on the run down to Turn 1, however, the Frenchman ran slightly wide to allow the latter to take the lead of the race. Quartararo though latched onto the back of Bagnaia as the two quickly put a 0.9 gap into third place Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40), but the Italian soon reeled the pair in before Quartararo took over at the front – a calculated move into Turn 11.

The pair then settled into their rhythm, with Baldassarri keeping tabs until the mid-stage. By lap 12, the leading duo had started to exchange fastest laps of the race as they started to gap the Pons HP40 rider, who in turn had managed to edge out a comfortable 2.8 second buffer to fourth place Xavi Vierge (Dyanvolt Intact GP). He, in turn, was joined by Oliveira as the battle for P4 raged on between Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Iker Lecuona (Swiss Innovative Investors), Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Augusto Fernandez (Pons HP40) – Oliveira grabbing P4 from Vierge on lap 15.

Meanwhile, back at the front, neither Quartararo or Bagnaia would budge from the mid 1:51s as the margin remained between two and three tenths – Baldassarri now a lonely third, nearly four seconds adrift.

Bagnaia’s first real warning shot came on lap 19 at Turn 8, threating to make a move up the inside but thought better of it as Quartararo closed the door. With two to go, the Frenchman wasn’t cracking under the relentless pressure from ‘Pecco’, the latter looking particularly strong through seven and eight. Bagnaia smelt blood on lap 21, closing up before crossing the line to head onto the last lap.

Bagnaia wasn’t close enough around his favoured turns seven and eight, and nor was he at nine or ten as Quartararo held firm. What about on the run down to the Turn 11 hairpin? Again, no way through for the Italian as he then conceded victory to Quartararo. The future MotoGP™ star producing his personal best lap of the race on the final lap to take a phenomenal second win of the season – Bagnaia extending his title lead to a commanding 35 points.

Baldassarri was brilliant in third on his 100 Grand Prix start, he finished 5.3 seconds ahead of fourth place Oliveira, the latter now with a mountain to climb if he’s to take the title over Bagnaia. Marquez battled his way to a heroic P5 after suffering a huge crash in FP1, with Binder crossing the line in sixth. The South African beat Fernandez to the line by three tenths, a career-best P7 for the Spaniard. Vierge’s early race charge didn’t last as he crossed the line eighth, with Lecuona taking the chequered flag in P9 after his first career front row start.

Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) couldn’t reproduce his stunning Thailand ride, the Italian rounding out the top ten in Japan to beat Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) – P11 and P12 respectively. Home rider Tetsuta Nagashima (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) scored points for the third race in a row in P13, with Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) and Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) completing the point scoring places.

Simone Corse (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2), teammate Federico Fuligni, Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) and Bo Bendsneyder (Tech 3 Racing) all crashed – riders okay.

Pure quality from Quartararo ensures he takes a second win of the season, but in terms of the championship, it’s Bagnaia who increases his stranglehold. It’s not all over for Oliveira as we now head to venues where he claimed victories at last season – can the latter claw back a 35-point deficit?

Moto3

The Championship pendulum swings again in the Moto3™ class as Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) took a stunning third win of the season, beating Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) and Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) on the run to the line as double disaster hit for Del Conca Gresini Moto3 – Fabio Di Giannantonio and Championship leader Jorge Martin both crashing out of contention.

Pole man Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA BOE Skull Rider) got the launch as the lights went out to lead into Turn 1, with Bezzecchi slotting in behind the Argentine rider after John McPhee (CIP – Green Power) got a slightly sluggish get away from P2, thus allowing Martin to make up one place from P4 on the grid. The front four initially threatened to make an early getaway but it soon became a leading group of thirteen at the front, with the lead for the race chopping and changing between the two main title contenders, along with the likes of Rodrigo and the hard-charging Binder.

Then on lap 14, there was a massive moment for Martin heading into Turn 11. Martin didn’t want to yield his position at the front and as he moved across to take the racing line for the corner, he came into contact with Bezzecchi. The Honda rider somehow managed to stay upright on the brakes without losing too much time.

This left Binder to lead with Bezzecchi and McPhee slotting in behind, Martin dropped down to fifth. However, a lap later with five to go, disaster struck. Trying to get back on terms with the leaders, Martin got on the curb under braking and was slightly off line while battling Dennis Foggia (SKY Racing Team VR46) and Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team). Subsequently, the Spaniard lost the front of his Honda and crashed out of contention. This came after teammate Di Giannantonio suffered a huge highside at Turn 12, the Italian heading to hospital for further checks.

This left Bezzecchi in prime position to take full advantage and with three laps to go the Italian had created a half-second lead, but that was soon distinguished by Binder and the chasing pack.

The scene was then set for a frantic finish. Bezzecchi led onto the last lap but Binder made his move at Turn 5 and then held station until the final corner. However, heading out of the aptly named ‘Victory Corner’, Bezzecchi got the superior run and fired his KTM past Binder to snatch a vital victory at the line by 0.041, with Dalla Porta also getting a devastating drive to deny Binder of second by 0.001. A stunning end to a magnificent Moto3™ race.

Foggia had another great ride to come home P4, he beat McPhee to the chequered flag by 0.039, who in turn gets the better of Arbolino with Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) coming home P7. Rodrigo would end up P8 at the line after losing touch with the leaders in the latter stage, he beat home hero Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) – P9 for the Japanese rider who couldn’t quite keep tabs on the front group as the race entered its final laps. Rounding out the top ten was Jakub Kornfeil (Redox PruestelGP).

There was an early crash for Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) – rider ok, with Vicente Perez (Reale Avintia Academy 77) and Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) going down at Turn 11, the latter heading to hospital with a fractured left foot back trauma. Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider) and Albert Arenas (Angel Nieto Team) also crashed – riders ok.

Heading into the final three races of the season, the gap at the top of the Championship sits at just one point, with Martin holding the smallest of advantages of Bezzecchi. Will we be in for more drama in Australia?