Motegi, Japan Moto2 - Race Results

Championship leader Marc Marquez had a lucky escape when he appeared to forget to put his bike into gear for the start, and was lucky not to be hit by the riders behind.

Almost last into turn one, Marquez carved forwards to finish the first lap in ninth, then took the lead from Esteve Rabat on lap 10 of 23!

Marquez later came under pressure from Rabat's team-mate and pole sitter Pol Espargaro, who was close enough to strike with four laps to go, but ran wide on the penultimate lap.

Espargaro closed back in on the final lap but was given no opportunity to pass by Marquez, who now holds a 53 point lead over Espargaro with three rounds to go...

1.Marc MarquezSPA (Suter)42m 56.171s
2.Pol EspargaroSPA (Kalex)42m 56.586s
3.Esteve RabatSPA (Kalex)43m 5.755s
4.Scott ReddingGBR (Kalex)43m 7.240s
5.Thomas LuthiSWI (Suter)43m 7.766s
6.Simone CorsiITA (FTR)43m 14.554s
7.Takaaki NakagamiJPN (Kalex)43m 14.843s
8.Johann ZarcoFRA (MotoBI)43m 24.397s
9.Axel PonsSPA (Kalex)43m 24.622s
10.Dominique AegerterSWI (Suter)43m 24.770s
11.Julian SimonSPA (Suter)43m 25.142s
12.Anthony WestAUS (Speed Up)43m 25.780s
13.Jordi TorresSPA (Suter)43m 25.986s
14.Xavier SimeonBEL (Tech 3)43m 35.954s
15.Mike Di MeglioFRA (Kalex)43m 36.039s
16.Yuki TakahashiJPN (FTR)43m 36.141s
17.Mika KallioFIN (Kalex)43m 36.934s
18.Andrea IannoneITA (Speed Up)43m 37.071s
19.Nicolas TerolSPA (Suter)43m 40.550s
20.Alex De AngelisRSM (FTR)43m 42.678s
21.Ratthapark WilairotTHA (Suter)43m 51.732s
22.Ricard CardusSPA (AJR)43m 51.986s
23.Tomoyoshi KoyamaJPN (Suter)43m 52.222s
24.Marcel SchrotterGER (Bimota)43m 52.663s
25.Gino ReaGBR (Suter)43m 54.588s
26.Alessandro AndreozziITA (Speed Up)44m 8.569s
27.Elena RosellSPA (Speed Up)44m 36.012s
28.Eric GranadoBRA (MotoBI)44m 36.958s
29.Jesko RaffinSWI (Kalex)1 lap