Overview

• Francesco Bagnaia converted pole into a lights‑to‑flag Sprint victory by 1.8 seconds over Marc Marquez, with Pedro Acosta third and Joan Mir fourth.
• Marc Marquez’s lead over Alex Marquez grew to 191 points, meaning the title is his on Sunday if he maintains a margin of 185 points or more.
• Bagnaia captured pole with a Motegi lap record of 1:42.911 after set‑up gains from the Misano test, as Mir qualified second and Marc Marquez third.
• A first‑lap mistake by Jorge Martin caused a collision that eliminated Aprilia riders Martin and Marco Bezzecchi, with stewards set to review the incident.
• Despite a throttle issue at the start of Q2, Acosta rescued fourth on the grid and the Sprint podium, while Alex Marquez finished tenth and scored no points.