Overview

• The Ducati rider arrives in Japan on 512 points and will secure the title if he outscores Alex Marquez by three points this weekend.
• A championship at Motegi would be his first since 2019, capping a comeback after major injuries that began with a broken right arm in 2020.
• Marquez has set a single-season points record with 11 wins in 16 grands prix and victories in 14 of 16 sprints.
• He says he will keep racing to win rather than banking points, targeting a swift close to the title fight with five events left in a 22-round season.
• Alex Marquez is focused on locking up second overall, while Francesco Bagnaia’s uneven form and Jorge Martin’s injuries have blunted their challenges.