Yahoo News MotoGP preview: what to expect at Motegi in Japan this weekend
For the third time in his six-year MotoGP career, reigning champion Marc Marquez will line up on the grid at Motegi in Japan on Sunday with a chance of sealing the MotoGP World Championship, the blue riband of motorcycle racing.
It is not so much a chance, more an expectation, that Marquez will repeat his achievements of 2014 and 2016 when he won the Japanese Grand Prix to clinch a title. There are endless permutations that would result in Marquez taking the title on Sunday, but with a 77-point advantage over Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso and a maximum 100 points available to the season's end, Marquez need not take unnecessary risks come Sunday.
A finish anywhere in the top four, and ahead of Dovizioso, will give Marquez the title. However, the Spaniard has only finished outside of the top three, let alone the top four, twice this season, and has been on the podium in each of the last eight races. Dovizioso, meanwhile, will be aiming for his sixth consecutive top three finish in Japan on Sunday.
Regardless of whether Marquez takes the title on Sunday it seems inevitable that he will be crowned MotoGP champion for the fifth time in his career, becoming the youngest ever rider to win five premier class titles, a record that is currently held by Valentino Rossi.
The 2018 title will draw Marquez level with Mick Doohan on five premier class wins; only Rossi and Giacomo Agostini have more, with seven and eight respectively.
Things looked brighter for the ailing Yamaha team last time out in Thailand, with Maverick Vinales finishing third and Rossi fourth. This was Yamaha's first podium finish since the Sachsenring in mid-July.
Rossi, however, has been quick to dampen speculation of a revival, saying that in Thailand a combination of the track surface and tyres conspired to help the team.
The mercurial Italian is currently third in the championship, with a 26-point advantage over his team-mate in fourth.
2018 MotoGP championship standings
1. Marc Marquez (Honda) 271 points
2. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 194
3. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 172
4. Maverick Vinales (Yamaha) 146
5. Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) 130
6. Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 128
Moto2
Francesco Bagnaia seems to be hitting form at the right time, taking the victory in Thailand. His third win from the last four races. The Italian has finished off the podium only once in the last seven races and has now opened up a 28 point lead over Miguel Oliveira who finished third in Thailand. The pair are the only two riders within reach of the title as with 100 points available between now and the end of season Brad Binder who is currently third is 102 points behind Bagnaia. It was Bagnaia who had the best result of the leading pair last year in Japan, finishing fourth to Oliveira’s seventh. One of the most notable things of the 2018 season is that Kalex chassis’ are not dominating proceedings as they have in the past. Both Oliveira and Binder are on machines with KTM chassis. Last year the highest placed KTM chassis was Oliveira who finished third but was 67 points behind Franco Morbidelli the series winner.
2018 Moto2 championship standings
1 Francesco Bagnaia Kalex 259 2 Miguel Oliveira KTM 231 3 Brad Binder KTM 157 4 Lorenzo Baldassarri Kalex 132 5 Alex Marquez Kalex 126 6 Joan Mir Kalex 124
Moto3
Jorge Martin extended his lead in Thailand thanks to the misfortune of Marco Bezzecchi who was taken out by Enea Bastianini close to the end of the race. Martin’s fourth place finish means he now has a 26 point lead over Bezzecchi ahead of Motegi. The no score by Bezzecchi allowed Fabio Di Giannantonio who won the race to close the gap to Bezzecchi in second to just 3 points. Bezzecchi in third now has a 42 point advantage over Bastianini in fourth.
2018 Moto3 championship standings
1. Jorge Martin (Honda) 204 points
2. Marco Bezzecchi (KTM) 178
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Honda) 175
4. Enea Bastianini (Honda) 133
5. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Honda) 111
6. Gabriel Rodrigo (Honda) 108
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