【MotoGP】Opening This Weekend! Japan GP Looks Back at Past Great Races and Title Deciding Moments

The MotoGP Japan GP is just around the corner this weekend. At Mobility Resort Motegi, numerous legendary battles and dramatic title-deciding moments have unfolded. We look back at five iconic races etched in history, from Casey Stoner's title win in 2007 to the fierce rain battle between Andrea Dovizioso and Marc Marquez in 2017.

〈2007〉Stoner's Coronation and Yamaha's Intense Podium Fight

The 2007 Japan GP was an unforgettable day for Ducati. Amidst unpredictable weather, Dani Pedrosa led early on, but Casey Stoner moved up the field battling with Marco Melandri. Meanwhile, Valentino Rossi entered the pits again after a flag-to-flag bike change and then went off track, falling back. The race was won by Loris Capirossi, and while Rossi finished 13th, Stoner, who finished 6th, secured the 2007 World Championship.

In the 2010 event, a fierce battle between Yamaha teammates captivated fans. With Pedrosa forced to withdraw due to a Friday crash, Stoner led the race in the final, holding off Andrea Dovizioso. Further back, Jorge Lorenzo and Rossi engaged in a heated battle for third place. After an intense close-quarters fight that remains in Motegi's history, Rossi secured third place on the podium by just 0.514 seconds over Lorenzo, with Stoner taking the win.

2015 also proved to be a crucial race that would influence the championship. In wet conditions, Lorenzo led the race early on. However, Pedrosa mounted a fierce charge, passing Dovizioso and Rossi one after another to move into podium contention. Gaining momentum, Pedrosa also caught Lorenzo with seven laps remaining and took the lead.

Pedrosa extended his lead and crossed the finish line a massive 8.573 seconds ahead of second-placed Rossi. Lorenzo, who made a mistake with five laps to go, saw Rossi extend his championship lead to 18 points.

〈2017〉A Fierce Battle in the Rain and Marquez's Title Deciding Moment

The 2017 Japan GP was a fierce battle in the rain that went down in history. Johann Zarco started from pole position, and Marc Marquez took the lead at Turn 1. After that, the lead changed hands rapidly, with Lorenzo and Danilo Petrucci also taking turns at the front.

In the closing stages, it became a duel between Marquez and Dovizioso, with Dovizioso making a decisive overtake at Turn 11 on the final lap. Dovizioso held off Marquez's counter-attack to win by 0.249 seconds, with Petrucci taking third place on the podium.

The following year, in the 2018 event, the battle between Marquez and Dovizioso continued. Marquez arrived in Japan with a chance to clinch the title, but in the Sunday final race blessed with clear skies, Dovizioso led early on, riding strongly to prevent Marquez's coronation.

However, with four laps remaining at Turn 9, Marquez made the championship-deciding move and took the lead. Furthermore, with two laps to go, Dovizioso suffered a costly crash, which confirmed Marquez's victory and his 2018 World Championship title.

Motegi has also been the stage for numerous other dramas, including Makoto Tamada's home victory in 2004, the collision between Rossi and Melandri in 2005, and Jack Miller's dominant win in 2022. This weekend's Japan GP will see Jorge Martin of Aprilia Racing aiming to extend his championship lead.

These legendary races at Motegi are available to watch in video format on the official MotoGP website.