After a challenging season aboard the factory Ducati, Francesco Bagnaia delivered one of his finest performances of 2025 to claim victory at the Japanese GP at Twin Ring Motegi. The weekend also witnessed the crowning of a new MotoGP World Champion, as Marc Marquez crossed the line in second place to secure his ninth world title across all categories.

1. Bagnaia leads from start to finish for second win of the season
2. Marquez secures title with five rounds remaining
3. Mir scores factory Honda’s first podium since Marquez’s departure

Flawless performance from Bagnaia

Pecco turns the tide on nightmare season

Francesco Bagnaia appeared to be a different rider from the one who’s struggled over recent weeks. He was fastest in qualifying, untouchable in the Sprint race, and carried that momentum into Sunday’s race to finish 4.196 seconds ahead of Marc Marquez. Despite the lead, the closing laps were particularly tense, with Pecco’s factory Ducati emitting smoke from the exhaust.

Ironically, Bagnaia’s best performance of the season was overshadowed by Marc securing the World Championship with a second-place finish.

Marquez wins his ninth World Championship 

Seventh premier class title brings him level with Valentino Rossi

Marquez started the race from P2 but was pushed back by Pedro Acosta who got off the line quicker from P4. Acosta held him off for 11 laps before fading down the order and eventually making a mistake at Turn 1 that ended his bid for a top-six finish.

The championship marks a remarkable comeback for Marquez, following a series of injuries and surgeries that began at Jerez in 2020 and almost forced his retirement. With 2,184 days since his last premier class title in 2019, he now holds the record for the longest gap between premier class championships.

Mir and Honda back on the podium

First podium for factory Honda since 2023 Japanese GP

Joan Mir produced his best ride of the season to finish third, delivering the factory team’s first podium since Marc Marquez’s P3 at the 2023 Japanese GP. For Mir, it ended an even longer podium drought, with his last appearance being at the 2021 Algarve GP with Suzuki. 

Behind the top three, Marco Bezzecchi took a fourth-place finish, remaining one of Ducati’s few consistent challengers. Unfortunately, his teammate and 2024 World Champion Jorge Martin fractured his clavicle in Saturday’s Sprint race, ruling him out for at least the next round, just weeks after returning from another injury.

Franco Morbidelli finished fifth, while Alex Marquez (currently P2 in the championship) crossed the line in sixth. With the title decided, attention now shifts to the remaining positions in the championship. Statistically, Bagnaia still has a strong chance to finish second overall, and replicating this weekend’s performance could allow him to achieve that and set the stage for a compelling rivalry with Marquez next season.

2025 Japanese MotoGP results