Marc Marquez secures Sprint victory in Motegi

Marc Marquez claimed victory in the Motegi Sprint.

The reigning world champion, who started the race from second place, took the lead from Jorge Martin immediately after the start and did not relinquish it thereafter.

With his seventh Sprint victory of the season, Marquez thus reduces his gap to Martin in the World Championship to nine points.

While Alex Marquez took out Pedro Acosta and Fabio Di Giannantonio in turn three, Marco Bezzecchi, who started on the medium tyre, gradually lost positions. In the finish, Brad Binder dropped from twelfth place to the back of the field after a run-off.

Track limits were a major focus during the Sprint: After the finish, several penalties were handed out for infringements, with Martin and Bastianini each losing one position, the beneficiary being Diogo Moreira, who thus finished second.