MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix 2025: Preview
- Finn Glover
- Sep 26
- 4 min read
Written by Finn Glover, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Despite crashing out last time out in Misano during the sprint, Ducati’s Marc Márquez still holds a formidable position to wrap up the championship this weekend, needing just to outscore his brother by three points to ensure glory.
But after recent resurgences from Álex and competitors alike, along with the ever-unfamiliar territory of the first flyaway of the season, it might not be as simple as it sounds. Always a classic, it’s time for the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Japanese Grand Prix: Mobility Resort Motegi
Often underscored due to Japan’s world-famous circuits of Suzuka, Fuji and Sugo alike, Motegi is a hidden gem in the land of the rising sun. 2025 sees the venue play host to its 26th MotoGP race. Nestled in the countryside and with the unique feature of an overlapping oval circuit, it is a fan and rider favourite.
Characterised by long straights into heavy braking zones, the track is ideal when it comes to aiding overtaking, and the wide, smooth asphalt will come as a welcome return after the tight and twisty Misano a fortnight ago. The track stands at 2.983 mi (4.801 km) and has 14 unique and challenging corners, including the iconic, battle-ridden hairpin at turn ten, and two ‘tunnels’ at turns four and twelve.
It is a track at which the weather is often a determining factor, either on Saturday or Sunday, and usually provides both exciting races and extraordinary results. Being the native manufacturers, both Honda and Yamaha spend countless laps testing around the circuit every year, so they will have the added advantage over their peers at a racetrack, in being the first flyaway, where momentum can be oh so rewarding.
Past Results
Since its post-pandemic return, Motegi has been a synonym for Ducati domination, with the Italian manufacturer absolutely dominating in all three editions since 2022. Last time out, it was Bagnaia who ran away with it, but the year before Jorge Mártin won superbly in a race red-flagged due to torrential rain, where 80% of the field pitted on lap one to go onto wets.
The same year, a remarkable feat occurred, with the 11 teams on the grid having one rider in the top 11 of the race, something never happened before, or since!
Both Honda and Yamaha have also had superb form here before the pandemic, with Marc Márquez winning three times, and the Japanese manufacturers winning all editions between 2011 and 2019, bar one, a tremendous wet-weather duel in 2017 where Andrea Dovizioso and Ducati, somehow, reigned victorious.
Johann Zarco, Álex Márquez, Enea Bastianini, Marco Bezzecchi, Luca Marini, Jack Miller, Ai Ogura and Somkiat Chantra have all won here across the three categories, meaning just under half of the grid have reached the checkered flag first here.
It’s a track that has provided debut wins, championship-defining moments and battles alike, and in 2025, are we in line to make it twelve current-grid riders to be victorious in Japan?
Key notices
Homeboy Takaaki Nakagami is back and wildcarding for HRC, and after his awkward injury sustained at Brno whilst substituting for Somkiat Chantra, he will look for a great weekend in front of his home crowd.
After much speculation, the manager of the other Japanese manufacturer, Yamaha, Maio Meregalli, has revealed the team will not field the new, exciting V4 bike after its relative success in Misano this weekend, and that they will test the bike at the Malaysian Grand Prix next month.
One rider to look out for, after the unluckiest of weekends at Misano, is Honda’s Joan Mir. In the shadow of teammate Marini’s successes, he has endured the most unfortunate of seasons, and whilst showing pace, has only finished six grand prix this season. Sitting on 50 points but deserving of many more, is this finally his weekend, at his team's home race?
As prior mentioned, three really is the magic number this weekend, with that being the number of points required by Marc Márquez to outscore his brother to wrap it up, which he can do on Saturday at the very earliest.
Another growingly interesting battle is that of the battle for third, with Bagnaia’s recent wretched form meaning that Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi has crept up to just eight points behind his compatriot.
So, will it be a championship-clinching weekend? Surely, right? Or maybe something extraordinary will happen, and the fight will rage on to Mandalika. Can Marc make it a fabulous four wins at Motegi, or will someone else spoil the champagne celebrations?
Tune in to find out, the Japanese Grand Prix never fails to excite! The race begins at 6 am BST this Sunday!
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