This track has two tracks. It was built in 1997. It has an oval, and a road course. MotoGP has run here since 1999. This track is three miles long. We have a 24 lap distance scheduled. Braking and large rotors, will be needed. So, you need rear tire grip, and, also, get a good start to stay out of trouble.
Marc Marquez could clinch a championship for Honda, on their own speedway. Marc Marquez can indeed clinch today. This race kicks off a triple header of races on the Pacific Rim. Marc Marquez could win his second championship, if he wins the race. But, if he finishes second or lower, it could push the championship to Philip Island in Australia, next weekend. Marquez could win four championships, as he has won in Moto 3, Moto 2, and MotoGP.
He cannot lose points to Dani Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi. He has to be in front of both of them. There are other scenarios, too. We're drawing closer to the start of this race. Could Marc Marquez win his second title today? It's very possible. Rain is in the forecast in Japan, just like it was for the Formula One race last weekend. In qualifying, Bradley Smith was half a second slower than pole, which puts him tenth on the grid.
Andrea Ianonne is sixth. It was a top five shootout. Jorge Lorenzo starts behind Marc Marquez. He is fourth. Valentino Rossi is second, and Dani Pedrosa, third. It's pole for Andrea Dovizioso and puts Ducati on the pole. It has been 54 races since a Ducati was on a MotoGP pole position. Jorge Lorenzo is the defending champion of this race. Kazuke Nakasuga, on a Yamaha, is a wildcard rider for this race.
Will this be the day for Marc Marquez? We've got 24 laps ahead, to find out. The bikes set off on their warmup lap. The two wheeled world championship first raced here in 1999. Will we see the 2014 MotoGP championship clinched today? Here we go. W'ere ready to race. Will the title be won today? Here we go!
It's on! Who gets the lead? Side by side stuff as Valentino Rossi leads, and Marc Marquez makes contact with Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi leads. Marquez passes Pol Espargaro as Jorge Lorenzo passes Andrea Dovizioso. They head up the hill through the s curves. Dani Pedrosa got a bad start. It is a Yamaha 1-2 so far. Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Ianonne, Marquez. They drop into the 90 degree corner.
Into the Victory corner. Rossi leads this one. It's the Yamaha's in the lead at the moment. It is starting to settle down. Oh! Cal Crutchlow is down and out. Game over. One Ducati, out. Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi mean business. Now, Crutchlow was battling former team mate Bradley Smith, and he crashed on lap two. Andrea Dovizioso will have to try to keep up with the Yamaha's. That will be hard to do.
Marc Marquez follows behind Andrea Ianonne right now as Rossi sets fastest lap so far. After his Aragon wreck, Rossi has a sprained finger. But other wise, he's fine. Aleix Espargaro is down to sixteenth. Here comes Marquez. He's coming. Marquez squares off the hairpin as they go over the brow and back into the 90 degree corner. Push, push, push. The Yamaha's are the quckest as Rossi and Lorenzo are volleying fast lap back and forth.
No rain just yet. But, it might come. There will be a wet setup used, if the rain comes. Rossi leads Lorenzo, Dovizioso, and Marquez. Dani Pedrosa wants by Andrea Ianonne. But he's not running up to par at the moment. Watch to see if the Ducati moves ahead of the Honda. Marquez takes fast lap. He runs in the 1:45 bracket. Lorenzo has Dovizioso all over him. Into the V Corner, Pedrosa passes Ianonne and is up to fifth.
Into the V corner, Lorenzo brakes, and takes the lead. But the two are side by side. They can't battle, because Lorenzo passes. Nineteen laps to go. Marquez is right up there now. We are on lap five with 19 left. Lorenzo was half a second behind Rossi, but now he's coming back. Stefan Bradl battles Andrea Ianonne as Marc Marquez continues to push. This race is heating up already, folks. Unbelievable!
Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi still are 1-2. Marquez runs fourth. He won't be in position to clinch his second world title today. He might have to wait. 100 points are on offer. But, only 75, in the next race in Australia, next weekend. Lorenzo and Rossi still run together. Yamaha, Yamaha, Ducati, Honda. The Ducati of Dovizioso is the fastest bike on the track at the moment. Andrea Ianonne and Stefan Bradl also have a good scrap going.
We have about 15 or 16 laps to go here. Lorenzo is a full second quicker than Rossi. Marquez has passed Dovizioso on lap nine. Stand by. We're about to see a battle royal here if Marquez can push and go for the title. If he wants to, after winning the title, he would not need to race. But I don't know about that one to be honest. Marc Marquez's younger brother Alex is looking on. Valentino Rossi will fight to the end and so will Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso.
This is quite the race so far. Marquez runs third. He has to win this race to clinch the title today as he slams the brakes going after Rossi. Marquez is really closing on Rossi right now with 13 laps to go. He squares off turn two, and gets a quicker run to the third corner. We're almost halfway through this race, chaps. What can Marquez do to put the heat on the Yamaha's? Andrea Dovizioso is just 2.1 seconds behind the leader. He was on pole, and could be in with a shout if the top three make mistakes.
Back right through Victory corner again. As we stand now, the championship battle moves on to Philip Island next weekend. If he is on the podium, ahead of Rossi and Pedrosa, Marquez could still win his fourth title, and his second in MotoGP. Lorenzo extends the lead to 1.1 seconds. This is intense. He is on the verge of a second straight title, and is following his hero, Valentino Rossi. Marquez is closing up on Rossi as Lorenzo continues to lead. He is waiting to make his move. Marquez, that is.
Dani Pedrosa is catching Andrea Dovizioso. Marquez seems overly committed into the V corner. Rossi runs second with Marquez third. Eleven laps remain now. Pedrosa is outperforming Andrea Dovizioso. Dovizioso runs wide. He drops to fifth. What can Pedrosa do as we watch Rossi vs. Marquez. Alvaro Bautista is 17th. Nicky Hayden is 15th, behind team mate Hiroshi Aoyama. Marquez needs to pass Rossi, and he'll be the champion.
Rossi won this race in 2001 and in 2008 where he also won the title. We watch the Rossi/Marquez battle. They come back towards the S curve. Here is Marquez making a move! They;'re in the hairpin and Marquez is trying to pass to win the championship. Rossi has the advantage. Marquez cannot go wide. Rossi says, "if you want another world title, sunshine, you will need to beat me." Dani Pedrosa is also coming, fast. Karel Abraham, down, and out. Now, Rossi is still holding Marquez at bay.
Into the V corner, these two are still pushing. Marquez is throwing everything he has at Rossi. Rossi got snookered by Marquez. Marquez's dad Julian is cheering him on. Lorenzo wants his second straight win. Marquez is in position to clinch. Lorenzo is upping his pace. This race isn't over yet. Six laps remain in Japan at Twin Ring Motegi. This is some race. Lorenzo is putting on a clinic right now. The gap is 2.6 seconds at the moment. But, now, Marquez challenge in this race, might be fading, folks.
He is falling behind Lorenzo and Rossi. Lorenzo is just storming now. Five laps to go. It could be this championship is going to extend into the next race. Marc Marquez just has to finish. Kazuke Nakasuga is 13th. This is only his first race of 2014. Hiroshi Aoyama is in the points, and so is Nicky Hayden. Hiroshi Aoyama leads the customer Honda's. Marquez cannot drop the pace, as Rossi is keeping him legal. He's continuing to push.
Rossi cannot afford a mistake either, as we see just four laps remaining in this Grand Prix. Personal best laps are run for Rossi and Pedrosa as Bradley Smith runs wide. No one wants to let Marquez win the title here. Keep the t shirts in their wrappers for now, Honda Racing. Lorenzo is clar. Rossi and Pedrosa still chase. Lorenzo has this race in the bag. Marquez could still win the championship here.
Three laps to go. Keep watching the gaps. What can Pedrosa do? Marc Marquez has a tenth over Rossin and Pedrosa. 1:45.4 to 1:45.5. Rossi has won a few times in Japan. He won Misano, and then crashed at Aragon last time out. Marquez can't back off if he wants the crown. Two laps left. Lorenzo leads. Lorenzo has dominated this race. Now, Marquez is going to win the championship. A lap and a half to go. He will have 52 points in hand before the next race.
Jorge Lorenzo has dominated here, as mentioned earlier. We start the last lap in Japan. Lorenzo chases his second straight win in Japan and the second straight this season for him. Marc Marquez is going to win his second championship. Marquez is taking records away from all the greats like Rossi, John Surtees, and Freddie Spencer, to name a few. This is it. Fingers crossed at Honda. Into the hairpin one final time. Hond and the crowd are going to celebrate. Lorenzo wins the race. But, Marc Marquez is winning his second championship.
Lorenzo wins the race! Marquez wins the championship! Number two for #93!
#99 Jorge Lorenzo ESP. Yamaha
Lorenzo equals Mick Doohan's win total in the World Championship. But, Honda and Marc Marquez are World Champions!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP. Honda
Marquez did all he had to do, finishing second ahead of Valentino Rossi. We have three world champions on the podium at Motegi. The celebrations ensue. Honda wins another championship. But it is the first time they've won a title on their home track. The next MotoGP race is next weekend. It is the Australian Grand Prix at Philip Island, in Victoria, Australia.
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