07:04
Marquez got mugged by Acosta at Turn 3 and is down to fourth. Alex Marquez is ninth.
Marc Marquez, final practice crash, 2025 Japanese MotoGP
2025 Japanese MotoGP, Motegi: Sprint + reaction as it happened
Live updates from Saturday’s qualifying and Sprint race at 2025 Japanese MotoGP at Motegi, where Marc Marquez has his first chance to win this year’s world championship.
The Ducati Lenovo rider returns to Japan, scene of past title glory with Honda, holding a 182-point lead over younger brother Alex.
While Marc Marquez can’t be crowned champion in today's Sprint, he will wrap up his first MotoGP title since 2019 if he holds an advantage of at least 185 points over Alex on Sunday afternoon.
Marc or Gresini Ducati’s Alex are now the only riders still in world championship contention, with Francesco Bagnaia slipping 275 points behind his team-mate.
The Italian – winner of last year’s Japanese Grand Prix - now has a fight on his hands to hold third place, with Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi just eight points adrift after a brilliant 1-2 (Sprint-GP) weekend in Misano.
Bezzecchi rebounded from a pair of Friday morning falls to lead day one at Motegi from KTM's 2024 pole qualifier Pedro Acosta and Marc Marquez.
Bagnaia was back on form and cautiously optimistic about the ‘solutions’ found at the Misano test, but Alex Marquez could only manage 15th and will be taking part in Qualifying 1.
Saturday’s schedule:
10:10am (local) - MotoGP FP2
10.50am (local) - MotoGP Qualifying
3pm (local) - MotoGP Sprint
27 Sep 2025
07:05
Lap 2/12
Bagnaia leads by 0.6s to start lao two from Mir and Acosta.
07:04
The stewards will review that incident after the sprint.
07:04
Both factory Aprilia riders crashed at Turn 1. Both are ok.
07:03
2025 Japan MotoGP - Sprint start (Lap 1/12)
We are racing on Saturday at the Japanese Grand Prix!
Bagnaia leads Mir and Marquez into Turn 1.
Big crash in the background.
07:00
The warm-up lap is underway.
06:58
Track temperature is up to 42 degrees C for this sprint, so expect some frantic early action as tyre pressures will be a big problem here.
06:58
The three-minute board has been given as the safety car heads off to check the circuit.
06:57
2025 Japan MotoGP - tyre choice
Everyone is on the medium front, soft rear for this sprint.
06:55
Johann Zarco's progress from 11th will be interesting to watch out for. He's finally got the Honda updates the factory team duo have had since Austria.
06:53
Ducati's Davide Tardozzi has just cited Pedro Acosta as another rider to watch in this sprint. His pace was decent on Friday, but technical issues have once again plagued KTM today.
06:52
Just 10 minutes to go till lights out!
06:51
One major threat for victory today, Marco Bezzecchi, has got his work cut out from ninth on the grid on the factory Aprilia.
9th on the grid but you can't count Bez out just yet 👀#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/4zzjl8z5gq
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 27, 2025
06:48
Pecco Bagnaia's weekend has been a series of tests of his "unconventional" changes to his factory Ducati, and so far each stage has gone well.
Given his struggles in sprints all year, there is a feeling that a strong showing this afternoon really will be a big sign of the double world champion's recovery.
06:46
The world championship cannot be won today by Marc Marquez, but a strong result in this sprint over Alex Marquez can edge him closer.
Marc Marquez will go from third, with his younger brother eighth.
It's not been an easy day for Marc Marquez, who crashed in FP2.
06:44
Lots of big stories on the grid today. But one of them is Honda and Joan Mir on the front row, which is the 2020 world champion's best since Portugal 2022!
And do not discount him from the podium fight today. He did all of his work on Friday on the soft rear and was very quick and consistent.
Now that is something to enjoy!
— Honda HRC Castrol - MotoGP (@HRC_MotoGP) September 27, 2025
SECOND on the grid for @JoanMirOfficial with an INCREDIBLE LAP pic.twitter.com/LArOGUwCtv
06:41
The field is already on its way to the grid. It's a very slow sighting lap due to the fuel thirsty nature of this Motegi track.
06:40
Starting grid - 2025 Japanese MotoGP sprint
Here is the starting grid for this afternoon's 12-lap sprint, following a dramatic qualifying.
Row 1 - Bagnaia, Mir, M.Marquez
Row 2 - Acosta, Quartararo, Morbidelli
Row 3 - Marini, A.Marquez, Bezzecchi
Row 4 - R.Fernandez, Zarco, Di Giannantonio
Row 5 - Ogura, Miller, Aldeguer
Row 6 - Oliveira, Martin, Binder
Row 7 - Rins, Nakagami, Bastianini
Row 8 - Chantra, Vinales
06:38
2025 Japanese MotoGP qualifying build-up
Welcome back to our live coverage of the 2025 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix!
The sprint is coming up in just 20 minutes' time.
03:36
Japanese MotoGP: Qualifying Results
03:32
The chequered flag waves, confirming a front row of Francesco Bagnaia, Joan Mir and Marc Marquez.
Pedro Acosta salvages 4th after just 4 laps in qualifying and will be joined on the second row by Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo and VR46's Franco Morbidelli.
Alex Marquez can only manage 8th.
03:30
Francesco Bagnaia on pole
Francesco Bagnaia, who had been pushed down to 8th, blasts to pole position on his last lap with the first ever 1m 42s.
03:28
Fabio Quartararo puts Yamaha back on the front row, behind Joan Mir and Marc Marquez.
1min to go.
03:27
Marc Marquez and then Honda's Joan Mir move into pole position!
Franco Morbidelli into 3rd, with Bagnaia down to 4th.
03:26
Red sectors (under pole time) are lighting up the screens for Marc Marquez, Raul Fernandez, Joan Mir, Fabio di Giannantonio, Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli!
