Francesco Bagnaia won’t like what Marc Marquez said about ‘the winner’ before taking Japanese Grand Prix victory

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Marc Marquez sealed his seventh MotoGP title at Motegi. But the Spaniard could not secure his 100th Grand Prix win as Francesco Bagnaia took the victory.

Marquez needed to outscore his brother Alex Marquez by three points across the weekend to wrap up the championship. The 32-year-old finished second in both the Sprint and the Japanese Grand Prix, confirming his seventh MotoGP crown.

But the Spaniard could not get the better of his Ducati teammate, who enjoyed a much-needed return to form. Bagnaia took pole position on Saturday before claiming a double victory, his first of 2025.

Bagnaia was the ‘only rider’ using a shorter fork at Motegi, and it seemed to do the trick for the 28-year-old. His revival on the GP25 was impressive as he claimed his second win of the season, but his result was overshadowed by Marquez winning the title.

Marc Marquez said ‘no one will remember the winner’ at the Japanese Grand Prix as Francesco Bagnaia takes victory

Marquez’s seventh premier class title marks one of the greatest sporting comebacks in history. Years of injury setbacks and worries about retirement have led up to this incredible moment.

Marquez has equalled Valentino Rossi’s record for seven MotoGP championships and nine overall Grand Prix titles. He would have wanted to wrap up the title in Japan with a win, but he could not get the better of Bagnaia.

Speaking to Motorsport Espana before the race, Marquez expressed his desire to win the championship ‘as soon as possible’. He claimed that ‘no one’ would remember the winner of the race if he did not come out on top.

“If I have to choose, I’d rather be champion here in Japan by finishing fourth than wait in Indonesia to try to win the race. On Monday, no one will remember the winner. I want to wrap up the title as soon as possible,” he said.

“My fight this weekend isn’t for the race, but for the title. Life is all about priorities, and mine right now is the championship.”

Bagnaia may not like this statement as he battles to find improvements on the GP25. He will want this weekend to be remembered for his performance, as well as his teammate claiming the title.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number

Marc Marquez claims his ninth motorcycle Grand Prix title – but do Dorna see it that way?

The Spaniard’s comeback is nothing short of remarkable. Neil Hodgson genuinely thought Marquez would retire after the 2023 German GP – he has bounced back with Ducati.

Marquez is now one more title away from 10 overall championships in his motorcycle career. However, there has been controversy about how many he actually has, as Dorna look to move MotoGP further away from the lower categories.

Dorna recognise Marquez as a seven-time champion, only counting his MotoGP titles, which caused huge backlash on social media. The 32-year-old has 125cc and Moto2 trophies before making his premier class debut in 2013.

Broadcasters were told to call Marquez a seven-time champion before the weekend in Motegi. Marquez ‘understands’ Dorna’s thought process after having private talks with ‘top management’.