Jack Miller dominates the Japanese Grand Prix at the Motegi circuit far and wide. Fourth career win for the Australian, the first this year. A success never questioned with a lifetime advantage over the competition. A victory of the past, a true triumph.
Beautiful race, fought from the first to the last meter. But not for the top: Jack starts well, in a few turns takes the lead and literally goes away. From here on he is never framed by the cameras: always alone, he shows an absurd rhythm. The Australian is the one who immediately gets used to the dry setup after yesterday’s flood. He is at ease from the first meter and triumphs in front of Brad Binder and Jorge Martin. So atypical podium, at the end of a weekend that was not easy for anyone, with only one free practice session in the dry.
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From second place onwards, the fights come. Binder is very good at bringing the KTM back to the podium: the South African passes the whole race behind Martin, who also has a great start with Miller but slowly loses pace and is beaten by Brad in the final. Jorge then closes the podium, ahead of Marquez and Oliveira. Super race for Cabroncito who, after yesterday’s pole position, manages to remain at very high levels in the dry. The alien from Cervera does not start at his best and finds himself fifth behind Oliveira, but tooth and nail keeps pace with his rival and then overtakes him on the last lap. Stratospheric fourth place, which gives an absurd morale to the Spaniard, far from ideal. But this track was one of the most complicated for his physique, so pay attention to him in simpler tracks. Good fifth place for Luca Marini ahead of Maverick Vinales.
Ducati once again wins, but struggles to smile. Yes, because with a Miller partying, the other side of the box cries. Pecco Bagnaia struggles for the whole race, always on the edge of the top ten, fighting with Bastianini who is also not at his best. In the end, however, GoFree wakes up and tries to attack Quartararo immediately in front, but makes a mistake under braking and ends up in the gravel. An incredible, absurd zero, a false step difficult to digest. Erroraccio of the Italian who closes as worse could not have been a very difficult weekend.
Francesco Bagnaia disconsolate after a fall that could cost him dearly, Getty Images
Photo credit Getty Images
Then seventh at the finish El Diablo. In free practice he showed a great dry pace, but not repeated today in the race. The Frenchman struggled for the whole race behind Marini and Vinales, but always kept behind the Ducatis of Pecco and Bastianini. Bagnaia attacks him in the final but makes a mistake, so Fabietto finds himself gaining points over all his rivals in the world championship. A perhaps unexpected result, given the latest releases. Now with four races to go, Quartararo has 18 points ahead of Gofree and 25 over Aleix who is missing.
Too bad for Espargaro. The Spaniard accuses his Aprilia of an electronic problem on the reconnaissance lap, so he immediately goes to the pits to take the second bike. He starts very last from the pit lane, tries the comeback but ends 16th and out of the points at the end. First zero of the season for him, devastating in morale. Not good also the Beast who, after the triumph of Aragon, returns to earth and struggles after Bagnaia, never really competitive. Bezzecchi closes the top ten.
Motegi therefore risks being an important watershed for the title fight. It was to be the overtaking race in the general, with Bagnaia super favorite in Japan. And instead the world turns upside down with Quartararo smiling. And now we go straight to Thailand, a track that is certainly more favorable to the M1. We will see what happens in seven days.
Scoreboard
THE RANKING: Miller, Binder, Martin, Marquez, Oliveira, Marini, Vinales, Quartararo, Bastianini, Bezzecchi, Zarco, Pol, Alex Marquez, Morbidelli, Crutchlow.
The chronicle in five moments
– In the reconnaissance lap the first twist: problems with the bike for Aleix who returns to the pits to change bikes and then starts last from the pit lane. From the grid Binder starts at his best and goes ahead of Martin. Third Marquez, then Oliveira, Vinales and Miller. Quartararo is eighth, Bagnaia 11th, then Bastianini.
– Binder immediately loses the lead over Martin, while behind the fastest is Miller who, thanks to incredible braking, takes him in front of everyone. Oliveira third, then Binder and Marquez who manages to keep up with the leaders. Sesto Vinales, then Marini passing Quartararo. Nono Pol, then Bagnaia and Aeneas.
– Miller and Martin leave, great start of the two Ducatis. Third Oliveira, then Binder and Marquez. Sixth Vinales more detached, then Marini and Quartararo who, as usual, cannot go fast in the middle of the group. Nono always Pol, then Bagnaia and Bastianini. Mistake for Zarco who loses a lot of ground. Jack Miller makes the race of his life and to the sound of fast laps he sows Martin. Jorge is second in solitary, then a trio with Binder, Oliveira and Marquez. Vinales sixth ahead of Marini, then Quartararo, Bastianini who passed Bagnaia who is tenth. Then Bezzecchi and Pol losing ground.
– Up front, little happens, with the first five with detachment and well spaced. Marini passes Vinales and climbs to sixth position. Maverick loses a bit of pace and is hunted by Quaratararo. Then always Bastianini, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi. Pecco wakes up and five laps from the end returns in front of Aeneas.
– Latest rounds. Miller dominates and wins hands down with incredible authority. It’s not over for the podium: Binder recovers on Martin, with Jorge collapsing in the last laps, while Marquez approaches Oliveira. Marc passes Miguel, while Binder overtakes Martin and climbs to the second step of the podium. Fourth then Cabroncito, then Oliveira and Marini. Seventh holds Vinales. In the last rounds Pecco attacks Quartararo and in the last round he tries to overtake him, but blatantly makes a mistake and ends up on the ground. Eighth then the Diablo, then Bastianini and Bezzecchi. Aleix closes 16th and out of the points.
The key statistic
Eleventh win for Ducati this season, as in 2007. Six wins in a row, extended record. Like the podiums, which reached 22.
The social moment
The best
Jack MILLER: Best race of his career and with a gap. Never before has there been such a dominant and authoritarian Miiler in his history. With the other Ducatis not in place in terms of setup given the few laps in the dry, he instead immediately found the right place and sowed the competition.
The worst
Giovanni Zarco: Spends all week and weekend picking on others instead of thinking about himself. In the race he starts well from second position, then collapses due to mistakes. He ends up out of ten, light years away from the leaders and his teammate.
Fabio Quartararo, the numbers of a historic world championship
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