How Marquez can be champion at Motegi

What Marc Marquez needs to do to win the MotoGP title in Japan this weekend - and how Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa can keep the fight alive to the Valencia finale.

Peter McLaren

23 Oct 2013

Lorenzo, Australian MotoGP Race 2013
© Gold and Goose

Rookie Marc Marquez will have his second chance to become the 2013 MotoGP champion at this weekend's penultimate round at Motegi, Japan.

After disqualification for missing the pit stop window at Phillip Island, Marquez's title lead has more than halved, from 43 to 18 points, over Jorge Lorenzo.

A seventh win of the year for Marquez on Sunday, with Lorenzo third or lower, would confirm him as the first rookie champion since 1978.

Ultimately, Marquez needs to score eight points more than Yamaha's reigning double champion Lorenzo - and lose no more than nine points to Honda team-mate Pedrosa - to seal the premier-class title on Sunday, meaning:

o Marquez 1st, Lorenzo no higher than 3rd = Marquez champion.
o Marquez 2nd, Lorenzo no higher than 5th = Marquez champion.
o Marquez 3rd, Lorenzo no higher than 8th = Marquez champion.
o Marquez 4th, Lorenzo no higher than 11th, Pedrosa does not win = Marquez champion.
o Marquez 5th, Lorenzo no higher than 13th, Pedrosa does not win = Marquez champion.
o Marquez 6th, Lorenzo no higher than 14th, Pedrosa no higher than 3rd = Marquez champion.
o Marquez 7th, Lorenzo no higher than 15th, Pedrosa no higher than 3rd = Marquez champion.
o Marquez 8th, Lorenzo fails to score, Pedrosa no higher than 3rd = Marquez champion.

MotoGP points format: 1st = 25 points, 2nd = 20, 3rd = 16, 4th = 13, 5th = 11, then minus one point for each place down to 15th.