Bagnaia Grabs Stunning Pole at Motegi 2025

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Francesco Bagnaia has secured pole position for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi Circuit with a groundbreaking lap record of 1 minute 42.911 seconds, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Pedro Acosta in 2024. The Ducati Lenovo rider, renowned for his mid-season surge, edged out Honda HRC Castrol's Joan Mir by a mere 0.092 seconds.

This incident-laden qualifying session marks Bagnaia's second pole of the year, following a similar feat in Brno, and underscores his resurgence. Meanwhile, championship leader Marc Marquez lines up third on the grid, priming him for a strong bid to close in on his eighth premier class crown.

Drawing from Sportrik's in-depth review of session data and team dynamics, these results highlight Ducati's sustained supremacy at Motegi, where the Italian marque has triumphed in all five races since Marc Marquez's last win there in 2019 with Honda.

Ducati's Command in Qualifying Battle

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo's flagship rider, unleashed exceptional pace in Q2 by leveraging tweaks to his GP25 machine. His 1:42.911 not only shattered Motegi's lap record but also positioned him ideally for contention in Saturday's Sprint and Sunday's flagship race. Teammate Marc Marquez slotted into third, just 0.2 seconds adrift, five spots ahead of brother Alex in eighth.

Honda's Joan Mir delivered a standout performance to claim second, signaling progress for the home team on familiar turf. KTM's talented rookie Pedro Acosta overcame initial technical glitches to grab fourth, flanked by Monster Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo in fifth and Pertamina VR46 Ducati's Franco Morbidelli in sixth.

Sportrik's examination reveals how chilly track temperatures and gusty winds influenced tire strategies, with Bagnaia opting for soft compounds on his final flyer to optimize grip through Motegi's high-speed sectors.

Grid Lineup and Championship Ramifications

Here are the complete qualifying results for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi:

As evident from the standings, Alex Marquez and Morbidelli advanced to Q2 by topping Q1, injecting added drama into the opening phase. Holding a 182-point advantage over Alex, Marc Marquez needs to extend it to 185 by weekend's end to seal the title—impossible in the Sprint but feasible in the main Grand Prix.

Bagnaia, 275 points behind Marquez, must now defend third from Marco Bezzecchi's charge, who trails by just eight points post his Misano double triumph.

Return of Injured Riders and Race Outlook

Joan Mir and Ai Ogura resume duties after skipping the Misano test due to San Marino injuries, while hometown hero Takaaki Nakagami competes despite lingering knee ligament issues from Brno. Their returns infuse emotional depth into the Japanese venue.

Official Motegi records previously listed Acosta's fastest lap (1:43.018, 2024) and Jorge Martin's race lap (1:44.461, 2024), now eclipsed by Bagnaia.

Thus, Motegi's weekend promises fierce rivalries, particularly between the Marquez siblings. Sportrik's insights suggest pit strategy and tire management will prove pivotal on the 4.8 km layout with 18 demanding corners. Looking ahead, Ducati appears poised to extend its reign, as Honda seeks home-soil momentum for revival.