MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez won the
Japanese Grand Prix with a pole-to-flag ride as Honda secured the constructor’s
title at their home Motegi Circuit. The 26-year-old Spaniard had already made
sure of his sixth MotoGP championship, and fourth in a row, a race earlier in
Thailand on Oct 6.
The constructors' title was Honda's 25th,
coming as the company celebrates 60 years in motorcycle racing. French rider
Fabio Quartararo finished second for the non-works Petronas Yamaha team, 0.870
behind, to be sure of the MotoGP 'rookie of the year' accolade, with Italian
Andrea Dovizioso third for Ducati.
The podium was Quartararo's sixth top-three
finish of the season, but the 20-year-old is still awaiting a first win in the
top category. His first lap attempt to get ahead of Marquez lasted only three
corners. Marquez then led every lap as he made sure of his 54th victory in the
top class, pulling him level in the all-time record books with retired
Australian Mick Doohan.
Quartararo came under pressure at the finish on
fading tyres, with Dovizioso closing the gap but running out of time to make a
move. The Italian could still celebrate his 100th podium finish. Marquez has an
unbeatable 350 points to Dovizioso's 231, with three races remaining in
Australia, Malaysia and on home soil in Valencia. Honda have 356 points to
Ducati's 270.
Yamaha's Maverick Vinales was fourth with
Britain's Cal Cruchlow seizing fifth at the line for LCR Honda from
Quartararo's team mate Franco Morbidelli. Yamaha's Italian great Valentino
Rossi crashed four laps from the end while in 11th place, and Marquez's triple
world champion team mate Jorge Lorenzo finished only 17th and 40 seconds behind
the winner.
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