Talyta França
Motegi, JAPAN – The MotoGP race at Motegi, Japan, saw Francesco Bagnaia secure both the sprint and final race victories, cutting the championship lead of Jorge Martin to just ten points.
It was a thrilling weekend of ups and downs, especially for young Pedro Acosta, who suffered heartbreak for the second time in a row despite showing impressive speed.
Acosta, fresh from locking in his first pole in MotoGP, looked ready to convert his brilliant qualifying and sprint pace into a solid result in Sunday’s race.
Leading in both the sprint and challenging Bagnaia during the main event, Acosta unfortunately fell in both, ending his race at Turn 14 on lap three while chasing Bagnaia.
“It’s difficult to accept,” Acosta admitted in an interview reported by Crash. “But anyway, it was a mistake from my side.”
Despite the setback, Acosta remains hopeful about his chances for the upcoming race in Australia. “It’s difficult to accept the crash. Let’s try again in Australia because we are getting closer.”
Pedro Acosta at the Japanese GP. Source: Pedro Acosta.
Bagnaia, meanwhile, delivered a peak performance, leading from the start to the finish in both races.
The Italian rider managed to fend off challenges from Martin, who worked his way up from eleventh on the grid to finish second. Marc Marquez finished second, after a hard battle for the podium against Enea Bastianini.
Bagnaia's win marked his eighth of the season, placing him in an elite group of riders, including Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi, who have achieved such success in a single campaign.
With Martin finishing behind, the championship lead is now reduced to just ten points, leading up to an exciting finish to the season.
Moto3 and Moto2: Historic Championship Wins at Motegi
David Alonso celebrates the championship title at the Motegi circuit. Source: Aspar Team.
In Moto3, history was made as David Alonso secured the championship title with four races to go, becoming the first Colombian to achieve this feat.
Alonso's impressive performance throughout the season and in Motegi, where he fought back to take control of the race, ensured his place in the history books.
Moto2 also witnessed a historic achievement with Manuel Gonzalez winning his first-ever Moto2 race in challenging conditions.
The dramatic race started in wet conditions, but as the track dried up, Gonzalez's decision to stay on slick tires paid off.
He overtook Ai Ogura in the final stages, denying the Japanese rider a home victory and securing a memorable win.