MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez revealed he was worried about crashing when Pecco Bagnaia’s Ducati began to emit smoke during the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. The 32-year-old sealed his 2025 title on Sunday after finishing second, while his closest rival, Alex Marquez, came in sixth.
This victory ended a six-year wait for Marquez since his last world championship, occurring after serious injuries and a major career shift from Honda to Ducati at the end of 2023. His triumph was largely assured throughout the race, but the final laps were tense due to smoke coming from Bagnaia’s bike, who ultimately won the race.
Nervous Moments as Bagnaia’s Ducati Released Smoke
Although the mechanical issue on Bagnaia’s motorcycle did not prevent him from taking his first grand prix win since the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), it caused Marquez considerable concern. He feared the possibility of crashing on oil left on the track as he was the next rider behind Bagnaia.
Marquez reflected on his cautious approach earlier in the race:
“I mean, it’s true that you see in the first part of the race that I was a bit more stiff than usual to overtake [Pedro] Acosta,”
he explained.
“I tried in the beginning but then I decided to wait. When the tyres drop, I know that my pace is good.”
He described managing his position carefully as Joan pushed from behind.
“When I was in second, I just controlled a bit the distance between me, Pecco and Joan. But Joan started to push. Then I said ‘Ok, I will push, I want to finish second’,”
Marquez stated.
When smoke appeared from Bagnaia’s bike, Marquez admitted his fear:
“And I was afraid, because the first rider behind Pecco was me.”
He added,
“So, if someone was to fall down, it was me. But luckily for me, for all the riders and for Pecco, nothing happened and we finished the day in a good way.”
– Marc Marquez, MotoGP World Champion
Title Implications and Historic Achievements
Had Marquez crashed or if Bagnaia failed to finish, Alex Marquez could have risen from sixth to fourth place, delaying the championship decision. Instead, Marc Marquez secured his seventh MotoGP world championship, equaling legendary rider Valentino Rossi with nine grand prix titles across all categories.
This victory reinforces Ducati’s dominance in 2025, as the team edges closer to completing a triple crown with riders’, constructors’, and teams’ championships, with the Indonesian Grand Prix next on the calendar.
