---
title: "Marquez clinches title as Yamaha duo crash out"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2016/10/16/marquez-clinches-title-yamaha-duo-crash/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2016-10-16T08:40:56Z"
modified: "2016-11-20T22:42:55Z"
---

# Marquez clinches title as Yamaha duo crash out

Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez became the youngest five-time World Champion in Grand Prix history after he clinched the 2016 MotoGP World Championship in Motegi following crashes for both Yamaha riders.

The Honda rider’s chances were slender coming into this weekend, a gap of 52 points requiring a nightmare for second and third-placed Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo for Marquez to secure his third premier class crown in Japan.

Starting from second, Marquez took the holeshot into Turn 1, but a feisty Lorenzo squeezed underneath him at Turn 2, whilst Rossi tried in vain to make a move stick at Turn 3. Rossi attempted to move ahead of Marquez once again at Turn 7 on the following lap, but the Spaniard wasn’t one for submitting so easily.

Lorenzo continued to lead, but it would not last long, the Yamaha rider suffering from his heavy fall in FP3 yesterday. On lap four, Marquez snatched the lead away from his compatriot at Turn 9 and began to ease off into the distance.

Two laps later, Rossi, knowing that he couldn’t sit behind his teammate for long and allow Marquez to break away, scythed his way past Lorenzo at Turn 9 and began the hunt for the Honda rider. However, just a lap later at Turn 10, disaster struck. Rossi pushed the front too hard under braking and slid into retirement, his championship challenge now over.

Lorenzo now inherited second once again, and all he needed to do to delay Marquez’ coronation was to remain on the podium. But the Spaniard was running out of steam quickly, and he had Andrea Dovizioso and the two Suzukis bearing down on him.

Dovizioso was just six tenths behind him as they started lap 15, Marquez now several seconds up the road. Lorenzo dug deep and kept the Ducati rider at bay, whilst behind Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales locked horns over fourth position. Their battle was allowing Lorenzo and Dovizioso to peal away, which was denying Marquez the championship in Japan.

The drama was far from over, though, as Lorenzo crashed out at Turn 9 on lap 19, the unimaginable scenario for Marquez and Honda now a reality. All the Spaniard had to do now was keep it upright and get to the chequered flag.

It was an anxious wait for the Repsol Honda Team, but there were no such dramas for Marquez and he cruised across the line to take his maiden MotoGP win in Japan and the 2016 title, his fifth in Grand Prix racing. Dovizioso came home second for Ducati’s first Motegi podium since 2010, with Vinales edging Espargaro for the final spot on the rostrum.

LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow was one of only two riders to opt for the hard front tyre, though the gamble didn’t pay off and he finished a distant fifth with Tech 3’s Pol Espargaro rounding out the top six. Alvaro Bautista took his best result for the season in seventh ahead of Danilo Petrucci, Scott Redding and his Gresini teammate Stefan Bradl.

Yamaha test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga ended his home race in the points in a decent 11th, whilst Yonny Hernandez got his Aspar Ducati home in 12th. Bradley Smith put in a gritty ride to take 13th on his return to Grand Prix racing, with Tito Rabat and Hiroshi Aoyama completing the points paying positions. Loris Baz wobbled around to 16th ahead of Hector Barbera, who crashed on lap eight, and Mike Jones. Jack Miller and Eugene Laverty joined both Movistar Yamaha riders in the gravel.

![2016-10-16-1](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2016/10/2016-10-16-1.png)