Honor and glory to the Australian Jack Miller (Ducati)who won with enormous authority, speed and determination the Japanese Grand Prixin Motegi, before 32,152 spectatorsand honor and glory to Marc Marquez (Honda)who grazed the podium with an impressive race on his return to competition after his fourth operation on his arm, humerus and right shoulder, not only beating and finishing ahead of all the title favorites but beating many of the great candidates for the victory in the Japanese circuit.
Márquez, who had achieved his 91st pole position in the rain yesterday, assured that he did not know if he was going to be able to hold out (“my humerus is perfect, but I lack muscle in the entire right part of the arm and shoulder “) the 24 laps of the race but, not only did he endure the entire Grand Prix at a great pace, but he also had the courage and strength to overtake Miguel Oliveira (KTM) to snatch fourth place from him.
Ovation for Marquez
Márquez arrived at his box and, logically, his entire team, led by Alberto Puig Y Santi Hernandezas well as by the president of Honda, Toshihiro Mibe, who was attending the races for the first time, received him with an impressive ovation. At no time did the eight-time motorcycling world champion make any sign of resenting his right arm while he received congratulations from all the members of the Repsol Honda team.
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The race had impressive moments in terms of emotion. On the one hand, the misfortune suffered by Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia), third favorite for the title, whose bike did not work, it seems that due to an electronic problem, on the formation lap, he had to go into his workshop, take the second bike and , of course, finished outside the points (16th). On the other hand, Miller’s tremendous ability to go out and get away and win his first race of 2023, as he hadn’t won since Jerez and Le Mans last year. And, finally, the disaster of the main favorite for the title, the Italian ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia, who, again, after an absurd fight with his brand partner Enea Bastianini, ended up on the ground trying to pass Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) , the champion and leader who finished ninth and increased his lead over Bagnaia to 18 points, 25 over Espargaró and 49 over the ‘Beast’.
Drivers World Championship: 1. Fabio Quartararo (France), 219 points; 2. ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia (Italy), 201 and 3. Aleix Espargaró (Spain), 194.