- 2018-10-21
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SPORTS
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MotoGP Japan: Marc Marquez Takes 2018 MotoGP Title with Motegi Win
- The Round 16 on MotoGP 2018, Japanese Grand Prix watched Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) took his eighth victory of the 2018 season and his fifth MotoGP title at Twin Ring Motegi on October 21, 2018.
This marks Marc Marquez took the 7th World Champion in his racing career. He took 125cc World Title in 2010 and Moto2 World title in 2012.
Pole sitter Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) crashed on 2 laps remaining. He had controlled almost all of the race up until his crash.
Marc Marquez started the race at 6th, but he moved up to 2nd place behind Andrea Dovizioso on the first lap.
He overtook Andrea Dovizioso on the 21st lap of 24. Then Marc Marquez received the chequered flag and won at Motegi.
Cal Crutchlow (Repsol Honda) was runner-up and Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) was 3rd place.
Andrea Dovizioso remounted after his crash, and finished 18th.
Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) started at 3rd and crashed out on 10 laps, and 2nd starter Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech3) failed in the start and finished 6th place.
After the race, 2018 World Champion Marc Marquez said:
“I feel really happy and the race was exactly what I had in my mind. Yesterday, after the qualifying, I tried to analyse and understand.
I knew that the pace of FP4 was really good and in warm-up I reconfirmed with the used tyres. Before the race, we planned the race like always and we tried to understand which was the real possibility, and we saw that we had exactly the same pace as Dovi.
But I was starting in sixth place and I told myself I have to be in a perfect way in the first lap, riding in a perfect shape and a perfect rhythm. Already at the end of the first lap I was second behind Dovi and that was the main target. Then I tried to study, tried to analyse, and I saw that I was strong enough to fight with him until the end.
I tried to attack when there remained nine or ten laps and I made a small mistake with the grass, but then Dovi overtook me again and he started to push really hard. I was able to follow him in a good way and then I attacked before the last lap.
It was the same strategy as Thailand and I saw that before the last lap, he had more chance to win because he was riding faster on acceleration, but when I saw he was out on the last lap, my first thought was that I was very happy.
I won the title, but then when I think, I was disappointed because he deserves to be here too. He did an incredible season and an incredible race.”
Marc Marquez continued:
“I never thought about records because every season is different, but I have a two-year contract with Honda and these two years, I will try to fight for the championship.
In the pre-season, I will work for another title and this is the way. I know that I will have the pressure, like all top riders, but all top riders are working to win the championship. If you finish second, it is a good season, but the goal is not achieved. As long as I stay here, I will try to increase this number.
It was impossible to imagine and I say every season it is a dream come true, but I’m living a dream. Of course, (being) a MotoGP rider is one thing, but every year to fight for the title, be there in the top positions and win the title, is something that nobody can imagine..
Even if you are a super talented rider and you are winning everything in the smallest category, you cannot imagine because in MotoGP are the best riders in the world and there are 19 races in a year, so it is so difficult to find the best level during all the season.
It’s just for us, more budget! No, it’s a joke, but I think all the Honda factory was praying for me, especially for 2016, but already here for the title in Japan.
Of course the Japanese staff will be very happy and today, after warm-up the President came to me and said ‘you need to do it’. And I said, ‘okay!’ I know it is important for them and when I have the pressure I’m working better and I like the pressure, so I like to have it and then it looks like I have more concentration.”
Motul Grand Prix of Japan Race Results- Marc Marquez / Repsol Honda / 42m 36.438s
- Cal Crutchlow / LCR Honda / 42m 38.011s
- Alex Rins / Suzuki Ecstar / 42m 38.158s
- Valentino Rossi / Movistar Yamaha / 42m 42.851s
- Alvaro Bautista / Angel Nieto Team / 42m 43.357s
- Johann Zarco / Monster Yamaha Tech3 / 42m 44.462s
- Maverick Viñales / Movistar Yamaha / 42m 49.768s
- Dani Pedrosa / Repsol Honda / 42m 52.020s
- Danilo Petrucci / Pramac Ducati / 42m 57.022s
- Hafizh Syahrin / Monster Yamaha Tech3 / 43m 1.423s
- Franco Morbidelli / EG 0,0 Marc VDS / 43m 2.369s
- Bradley Smith / Red Bull KTM Factory / 43m 3.313s
- Pol Espargaro / Red Bull KTM Factory / 43m 3.507s
- Katsuyuki Nakasuga / Yamaha Factory / 43m 8.988s
- Takaaki Nakagami / LCR Honda / 43m 14.156s
- Xavier Simeon / Reale Avintia / 43m 16.021s
- Jordi Torres / Reale Avintia / 43m 16.277s
- Andrea Dovizioso / Ducati Team / 43m 19.136s
- Scott Redding / Factory Aprilia Gresini / 43m 26.381s
- Thomas Luthi / EG 0,0 Marc VDS / 43m 29.145s
- Sylvain Guintoli / Suzuki Ecstar / 43m 38.286s
- source : MotoGP
