Dovizioso outduels Marquez for Motegi win

In pouring rain at Twin Ring Motegi, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) staged an epic MotoGP duel, putting everything on the line down to the final lap and the final corner. And despite the best efforts of the reigning champion, it was Andrea Dovizioso who emerged victorious from "Victory" corner in Japan, taking his fifth win of the season and the seventh of his career. Marquez was an incredibly close second for his 100th career podium, with Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) completing the podium.

It was Marquez took the lead off the front row, with Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) soon pouncing on the first lap to take second and then take over in the lead. Marquez was followed by Petrucci and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), with Dovizioso staging a stunning start to tag on the back. Marquez then fought back as Lorenzo moved back slightly, before Petrucci struck at the front and the trio who would head the remaining laps was decided: Petrucci, Marquez, and Dovizioso.

As the laps ticked down, the two title contenders remained locked together and Petrucci found some clear air in the lead. But with 12 laps to go Marquez made his first move to take over, with Dovizioso then through on his compatriot to keep close company with the championship leader. They pulled away, and the stage was set.

With six laps to go, Dovizioso attacked at Turn 6, and the cat-and-mouse game continued. Marquez then hit back with a brutal pass in Turn 3 with three laps to go, and the fuse was lit. Dueling it out with some of the most spectacular racing of the season – and in the pouring rain – it seemed Marquez was holding the cards as the final lap approached.

The gap was hovering just over half a second for Dovizioso, until Marquez suddenly suffered a moment at Turn 8 and the Ducati was back on him. The Italian struck to take the lead soon after and prepared himself for the aptly-named Victory corner, knowing the No. 93 was close behind and undoubtedly with Austria on his mind.

The door didn't prove closed for Marquez as he shot up the inside, but Dovizioso was prepared for the move and kept it together as the Repsol Honda headed wide. Almost neck and neck over the line, it was Dovizioso who took the victory – and cut the gap to 11 points at the top.

Behind the trio on the rostrum it was a great ride for Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) into fourth, as the Italian picked his way through from P12 on the grid as was able to close in on his teammate Alex Rins, then getting past him in the latter stages. Rins was top rookie after his own display of brilliance, however, earlier shadowing Zarco and then moving through as the Frenchman faded.

Dropping back after a strong start, Lorenzo was able to move back past those ahead of him to cross the line in sixth for another good haul of points, getting back Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) as his final victim, with the Spaniard coming seventh. Zarco faded in the latter stages to head home in P8, ahead of a difficult day for Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP). Vinales is now 41 points off Marquez at the top of the table.

Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) completed the top 10 as he sliced through in the rain, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) taking another top result for the Austrian factory in P11. In twelfth, it was wildcard Yamalube Factory Racing rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga – 2017 Suzuka 8H winner and former MotoGP podium finisher – as the Japanese veteran impressed as ever.

Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) took his best-ever result in P13, with the points scorers completed by Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Tito Rabat (EG 0,0 Marc VDS). Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) crashed out of contention, without injury.