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MotoGP Japanese GP: Marquez beats Martin in early duel to close points gap

Ducati's Marc Marquez won the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at Motegi Circuit, securing his 79th premier class win and cutting Jorge Martin's championship lead to 2 points.
Polesitter Jorge Martin led the opening laps after every rider opted for hard rear tyres following Saturday's tyre drama during the extended 20-minute warm-up session.
Marquez executed a decisive move on lap 11 to take the lead, then controlled the race to pull clear; Marco Bezzecchi fended off Enea Bastianini for third place in a tight scrap until the final lap.
Martin conceded Marquez was the better rider on the day, admitting "a good package to fight for the rest of the season" proved insufficient. Marquez called the victory "very important" to maximize weekend points.
With six events remaining in the 2026 season, Martin retains a narrow 2-point lead, setting up a continued championship battle between the two riders for the remainder of the calendar.

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