Bagnaia Wins Japanese MotoGP, Closes Championship Gap

Francesco Bagnaia secured a lights-to-flag victory at the Japanese MotoGP, reducing Jorge Martin's championship lead to 10 points with four races remaining. Starting from second, Bagnaia overtook pole-sitter Pedro Acosta early on, who later crashed out, and maintained his lead despite late pressure from Martin. This victory marks Bagnaia's eighth Grand Prix win of the season and his first in Japan, following his win in the Saturday sprint race. Martin, who started 11th on the grid due to a crash in qualifying, managed to finish second, executing a successful damage limitation strategy. Marc Marquez completed the podium in third place, fending off Enea Bastianini. The championship battle continues with the next race at Phillip Island, Australia, as both Bagnaia and Martin remain strong contenders for the title.