Following the Emilia-Romagna and Indonesia GPs, the Ducati Lenovo Team arrives in Japan to compete in the third and final round of the penultimate triple-header of the 2024 MotoGP season. The event will once again be hosted at the iconic Motegi circuit, which has welcomed the World Championship on 23 previous occasions.
Ducati has secured victory in seven editions of the Japanese GP and has claimed a total of 13 podium finishes at Motegi. The most recent success came last year, with Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing) taking first place and Francesco Bagnaia finishing second in a dramatic race that was later suspended due to rain.
The reigning World Champion, fresh off a third-place finish last week in Mandalika, now trails his fellow Ducati rider Martín by 21 points and will look to close the gap in the standings this weekend. Enea Bastianini, currently third in the World Championship, aims to bounce back in Japan after a crash last Sunday dashed his hopes of securing his 50th World Championship podium. The Rimini rider, who has not raced in Japan since 2022, will be eager to be one of the key contenders this weekend.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd (345 points)
“Japan is one of my favourite destinations, so I am really happy to be racing here this weekend. Compared to Indonesia, the weather and track conditions will be very different, and there’s also a chance of rain, so it will be important to be prepared for any situation. We will work hard to improve our competitiveness in the early stages of the race, which is where we struggled a bit last Sunday. I’m ready and excited to get back on track.”
Enea Bastianini (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd (291 points)
“I’m happy to get back on track right away and leave last Sunday behind me for good. It’s been two years since I last raced in Japan, but I’ve always liked the Motegi track, and recently, we’ve been fast on almost every circuit. The gap in the championship is getting bigger, but it’s still not mathematically impossible. It will be important to stay focused in these final races, give our best, and always push hard.”
The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will hit the track on Friday, Oct. 2, at 10:45AM local time (GMT +9:00) for the first free practice session of the Japanese GP.
Circuit Information
Country: Japan
Name: Mobility Resort Motegi
Best Lap: Miller (Ducati), 1:45.198 (164,2 km/h) – 2022
Circuit Record: Martín (Ducati), 1:43.198 (167.4 km/h) – 2023
Top Speed: Bastianini (Ducati), 317,6 km/h – 2022
Track Length: 4,8 km
Sprint Race Distance: 12 laps (57,6 km)
Race Distance: 24 laps (115,22 km)
Corners: 14 (6 left, 8 right)
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