MotoGP Motegi: Miller dominates in Japan as Bagnaia crashes

Delight and anguish for Ducati Lenovo saw Jack Miller victorious in MotoGP at Motegi while Pecco Bagnaia crashed on the final lap.

Having dominated the Japanese Grand Prix by over five seconds, Miller met the flag three and a half clear of Red Bull KTM’s Brad Binder for his first win of the 2022 season with Prima Pramac’s Jorge Martin completing the podium celebrations after a dramatic race at Mobility Resort Motegi. Opposing fourtunes saw Bagnaia crash out of the action on the final lap after an unsuccessful move on title-rival Fabio Quartararo with the Frenchman lucky to escape the collision from eighth.

The premier class action prepared with Repsol Honda’s returning Marc Marquez in control of the grid for the first time in three years - since his last visit to the Motegi in 2019 - on his 150th MotoGP start. Prima Pramac’s Johann Zarco and Binder sat alongside on the front row while Quartararo and Bagnaia started the 24-lap race from ninth and twelfth respectively with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro ahead in sixth. The entirety of the pack lined up on hard front medium tyres with the rear a mix across soft, medium and hard, Marquez changing his mind twice on the grid as he went from hard to soft.

Unexpected early drama saw Espargaro into pitlane with an electronics issue as the warm up lap completed, Binder taking the holeshot as the lights went out.

The KTM was quickly dispatched as Jorge Martin took charge on the opening lap, Marquez maintaining his position in third as Miguel Oliveira and Miller bickered for fourth before the Ducati claimed the position, from seventh on the grid, and the pair dispatched Marquez on the edge of the podium.

Maverick Viñales ran sixth on the second Aprilia as Quartararo leaned on Mooney