Marc Márquez heads to Motegi with his first MotoGP title match point, while teammate Francesco Bagnaia targets another podium as Ducati chases history at the Japanese Grand Prix.
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The MotoGP paddock heads to Japan this weekend for Round 17 of the 2025 season, with the Ducati Lenovo Team arriving at Mobility Resort Motegi for a race that could decide the biggest prize of all. The Japanese Grand Prix marks the start of a crucial back-to-back stretch across Asia and Australia, and for Marc Márquez, it brings the first mathematical opportunity to secure the Riders’ World Championship.
Márquez on the Brink of a Historic Crown
After a dominant season in Ducati red, Marc Márquez arrives in Motegi with 512 points, already breaking the record for most points in a single season. With three wins to his name at this track, including a podium here last year, he knows the layout and its challenges well.
Saturday’s Sprint cannot seal the deal, but Márquez will clinch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship if he ends the weekend at least three points ahead of his brother Alex, the only remaining title contender. A victory in Japan would give him his 12th win of the season and his 100th career Grand Prix triumph, adding another milestone to his already historic campaign.
“We’re coming here after another great race at Misano and an overall positive test,” Márquez said. “It’s going to be a special week; the atmosphere in Japan is always unique, and I really like the track. We’ll approach the two races as we’ve done so far. Step by step, working from Friday to be competitive in the Sprint and then the GP.”
Bagnaia Targets Another Motegi Podium
Alongside Márquez, Francesco Bagnaia is equally motivated to end the season on a high. The defending Japanese GP winner and 2022 World Champion arrives third in the standings with 237 points, looking to consolidate his position and challenge for more podiums.
“At the Misano test, we tried a lot of things and found some solutions that we’ll replicate here to gain more confidence,” Bagnaia explained. “Motegi is tough but beautiful. The atmosphere and the welcome from the fans are special. We’re working to have a solid weekend and get closer to the top group.”
A Circuit Steeped in Ducati History
Since joining the calendar in 2004, Motegi has become one of Ducati’s most successful hunting grounds. The Desmosedici GP has taken eight wins here, from Loris Capirossi’s famous three consecutive victories (2005–2007) to triumphs by Casey Stoner (2010), Andrea Dovizioso (2017), and most recently Jack Miller, Jorge Martin, and Bagnaia in the last three editions (2022, 2023, and 2024).
Weekend Schedule
The action begins on Friday, September 26, with the first free practice session at 10:45 a.m. local time. Saturday’s Sprint will set the tone, but all eyes will be on Sunday’s Grand Prix, where Márquez could officially clinch his long-awaited first world title in Ducati colours.
With a championship at stake and Motegi’s rich Ducati legacy behind them, the Ducati Lenovo Team enters the Land of the Rising Sun ready to chase history and perhaps celebrate a crowning moment that will echo through MotoGP’s record books.
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