The Motegi circuit is once again the centre of the MotoGP universe this weekend. The Japanese Grand Prix kicks off the Asian tour, and what makes it even more intense is that this year's championship is the tightest in recent memory. Jorge Martin arrives in Japan as the points leader with 306, but Marc Marquez is just 12 behind. That gap could vanish in a single weekend.
But Motegi is no ordinary circuit. Since MotoGP adopted its current name in 2002, the premier class title has been decided here six times. Casey Stoner was the first to achieve the feat in 2007, and Marc Marquez closed the list last year in a moment that held special meaning for his career.
Stoner Opens the List in 2007
The story of MotoGP champions crowned at Motegi began in 2007, with Casey Stoner as the protagonist. The Australian arrived in Japan with a healthy lead in the standings. After a season in which he had surprised many, he had the chance to wrap up the title with several races to spare.
Stoner didn't miss. Aboard the Ducati Desmosedici GP7, he secured the championship he had been building since the early rounds. That title made him the first world champion of the 800cc era and also put Ducati on top of MotoGP for the first time. For Stoner, it was his first premier class crown at just 21 years old, while for Ducati, it opened a completely new chapter in their history.
Rossi Reclaims the Throne at Motegi
A year after Stoner's first coronation, Motegi once again hosted a MotoGP title decider. In 2008, Valentino Rossi arrived in Japan with the chance to reclaim the crown, and he seized it. The Italian secured his sixth MotoGP championship and the eighth world title of his career.
That season was particularly significant after Stoner had interrupted Rossi's dominance by taking the 2007 title. Rossi responded with a very solid campaign to regain the championship. The celebration at Motegi also produced one of the most memorable images of that era: Rossi wore a t-shirt with the message "Scusate il ritardo" (Sorry for the delay), referring to the wait to be champion again. Motegi thus became linked to another great chapter in Rossi's career, reinforcing its reputation as a circuit that often decides titles.
Motegi Becomes Marquez Territory
Marquez's relationship with the Japanese circuit goes back a long way. In 2014, while riding for Honda, he clinched his second MotoGP title at Motegi. Since then, he has returned several times to add to his tally at the same track. Most recently, last year, he closed the list of MotoGP champions crowned at Motegi. That moment felt special as it happened in front of the Japanese fans and at a circuit owned by Honda, the manufacturer that has been part of his journey for so long.
Now, with the championship still wide open, Motegi is ready to add another chapter to its history. Will Martin cement himself as the new champion, or will Marquez once again add to his legacy at a place that has become so familiar? One thing is certain: this track always has a way of producing unforgettable stories.
Baca Juga
Motegi kembali jadi pusat perhatian MotoGP. Sirkuit ini telah menobatkan enam juara dunia, dari Stoner hingga Marquez. Siapa selanjutnya?
Marc Marquez kembali ke Motegi untuk perebutan gelar MotoGP 2026. Cedera bahu dan performa Ducati yang fluktuatif menjadi tantangan utama.
Pit Beirer ungkap krisis mesin KTM di MotoGP 2026 yang hampir menghancurkan proyek. Tujuh mesin gagal, insiden Mugello, dan perjuangan hadapi Engine Freeze.
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