MotoGP: Marc Marquez Takes World Championship Title At Motegi GP
Sameer Contractor
1 min read
Oct 17, 2016, 01:37 AM
Key Highlights
- Marquez secures his fifth world championship title at Motegi GP
- Rossi and Lorenzo crashed out, making way for Marquez
- Only 3 races are left for the 2016 season with the next race in Australia
It was the perfect weekend for team Repsol Honda at the Motegi Grand Prix as Marc Marquez took a hard fought win to the pole, while also sealing his crown for the world championship title this season. The three-time MotoGP champion won his first-ever win at Honda's home track - Motegi, while both Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo that posed as the biggest rivals in his road to the championship title crashed out, thereby clearing the route for the title.
The Japanese weekend wasn't the most exciting for Yamaha after Lorenzo's major crash during the free practice session that led to the ligament tear and damaged leg, nevertheless, the Spanish rider made it back to the track qualifying third on the grid. The technical track also saw Dani Pedrosa crash over the weekend leaving him with a broken shoulder and was declared unfit to race, while Rossi registered his first pole outside Europe since 2008, but was not in the best of health suffering from a cold.
The 24 Lap Motegi GP saw Rossi suffer from a poor start, which gave Marquez the needed push as he moved to take the pole. Lorenzo too managed to pass his teammate moving into second, while Alex Espargaro moved to third for a brief period, but Rossi managed to take back the third place immediately. However, Rossi's pace was short lived as the Italian rider lost control of the front of his M1 as he moved into Turn 10 in the early stages of the race and crashed out. He did get back on the bike but retired after a few laps.
Rossi's exit from the Motegi GP really put the focus back on Marquez and Lorenzo as both riders battled for the top spot. Moreover, Rossi's crash also put Lorenzo back to second in the points table and the current world champion had to finish the race on the podium to stop Marquez from being crowned the title. But, much like his teammate, Lorenzo's run was cut short in the closing stages of the race as he crashed out in Turn 9.
With the Yamaha boys out of contention, Marquez was unshakeable from the pole position and raced to victory with a lead of almost 3 seconds, thus marking his fifth championship title and becoming the youngest rider to do so at the age of 23. Finishing second and third in the Motegi GP were Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati and Maverick Vinales of Ecstar Suzuki, while teammate Alex Espargaro finished fourth.
With three races of the season remaining, it will be interesting to see if Marquez will be able to secure his sixth win of the season. Meanwhile, the season wasn't the best for Rossi, while Lorenzo fought hard but will have to settle second in the rider standings.
The Japanese weekend wasn't the most exciting for Yamaha after Lorenzo's major crash during the free practice session that led to the ligament tear and damaged leg, nevertheless, the Spanish rider made it back to the track qualifying third on the grid. The technical track also saw Dani Pedrosa crash over the weekend leaving him with a broken shoulder and was declared unfit to race, while Rossi registered his first pole outside Europe since 2008, but was not in the best of health suffering from a cold.
Marc Marquez secures his fifth championship title in all classes
This is Marquez' third championship title in the premier class
The Motegi GP was unforgiving for both Yamaha riders
With three races of the season remaining, it will be interesting to see if Marquez will be able to secure his sixth win of the season. Meanwhile, the season wasn't the best for Rossi, while Lorenzo fought hard but will have to settle second in the rider standings.
Related News
Popular Honda Models
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
car&bike Team | May 14, 2026TVS Motor Company To Increase Annual Production By 1.5 Million UnitsThe company will invest Rs. 3,500 crore in FY27 to expand capacity, as well as boost R&D1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | May 14, 2026Honda Set To Enter India's Sub-4M SUV Segment In 2028At the announcement of its Q4 FY2026 financial results, Honda revealed plans to introduce new sub-4m and mid-size models in India starting from 2028.3 mins read
car&bike Team | May 13, 2026Kia Introduces BaaS Scheme For Carens Clavis EVKia India has introduced a Battery-as-a-Service scheme for the Carens Clavis EV, allowing customers to separately finance the vehicle body and battery while paying a usage-based battery fee.2 mins read
car&bike Team | May 13, 2026Honda City Facelift Spied Undisguised Ahead of DebutCosmetic updates to the sedan include a new look grille, more angular headlamps and a redesigned front bumper.1 min read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | May 13, 2026BYD To Hike Car Prices Across Its Range From July 1 In IndiaThe revision will happen across the company’s current model range, and the hike will be in the range of 1-2 per cent, depending on the model and variant.1 min read
car&bike Team | May 13, 2026Android Auto Gets Major Update With New UI, Video Streaming And Gemini IntegrationAndroid Auto’s biggest update brings a redesigned interface with widgets and a new immersive Google Maps experience, while supported cars will also gain YouTube video streaming and Dolby Atmos audio support later this year.1 min read
Preetam Bora | May 11, 20262026 Suzuki Burgman Street 125 Review: What’s Good, What’s Not?The new Suzuki Burgman Street 125 gets refreshed design, minor but meaningful tweaks to the engine, a stiffened chassis, new features and more. But is it worth recommending? Read on, to find out.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | May 11, 2026Audi SQ8 Review: The Performance SUV That Actually Makes SenseThe Audi SQ8 has the performance of a V8 seamlessly combined with the everyday luxury and comfort, making it one of the most complete performance SUVs on sale in India today.5 mins read
Jafar Rizvi | May 3, 2026River Indie Gen 3 Long Term Report: 1 Month, 400 km AfterAfter a month and 400 km, the River Indie impresses with its utility-first approach, smooth ride and standout design, despite a few everyday usability compromises.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | May 2, 2026Volkswagen Taigun Facelift Review: Still The Driver’s SUV, But Improved!The updated Volkswagen Taigun gets a new 8-speed automatic, a refreshed design, and added features. But does it still deliver the best driving experience in the C-SUV segment?5 mins read
Shams Raza Naqvi | Apr 29, 2026Toyota Innova Hycross Vs Mahindra XEV 9S: Choosing The Right Three Row Family MoverIn a battle of three-row cars the electric Mahindra XEV 9S takes on the Toyota Innova Hycross. Which one ticks more boxes?1 min read