Filip Salač secured third place at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, delivering his second podium finish and his fifth of the Moto2 season. Competing for the OnlyFans American Racing team at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, the 24-year-old Czech rider crossed the finish line 1.057 seconds behind race winner Izan Guevara, matching his result at the Japanese venue from 2024. The result elevates Salač to 144 points in the overall Moto2 world championship standings after 16 of 22 rounds, keeping him seventh overall while closing the gap on his immediate rivals.
Race Execution and The Battle for the Podium in Motegi
Starting from second on the grid following Saturday’s qualifying session—where he recovered from a crash—Salač dropped to third immediately off the line as Italy’s Tony Arbolino pushed past him. Guevara, riding for Boscoscuro, controlled the race from lights to flag to claim victory in 34:14.675, with Arbolino finishing second just 0.419 seconds ahead of the Czech rider. Arbolino attempted a late passing maneuver on Guevara with three laps remaining but ran wide on the brakes, allowing Guevara to reclaim the lead while Salač briefly eyed an opening before Arbolino recovered his line. Salač then had to fend off fourth-place finisher Ortolá in the closing stages to safeguard his podium spot.
Další pódium v kapse. Teď už vidíte, že na to mám. Není to jenom jednou,
Salač said in a post-race television interview. Užil jsem si tady celý víkend. Dařilo se nám. Tým mi připravil skvěle motorku, měla na vítězství, ale kluci jeli neuvěřitelně. Já jsem spokojený. Vyjel jsem si druhé pódium za sobě, páté v sezoně, a mám nejvíc bodů, co jsem kdy v kariéře měl.
Standings Implications and Championship Drama
The Moto2 classification underwent a significant shakeup in Motegi when championship leader Manuel González encountered trouble on the starting grid. González signaled a problem before mechanics pushed his Kalex machine into the pit lane, forcing him to start from the pit exit and leaving him to finish 22nd without scoring points. That misfortune allowed Guevara to slash González’s lead at the top of the standings to just 10.5 points, with González sitting on 245.5 points to Guevara’s 235. Meanwhile, Salač’s 144 points keep him seventh overall, but pull him within eight points of sixth-placed Senna Agius and within striking distance of fifth-placed Daniel Holgado on 154 points.
Marc Márquez Triumphs in MotoGP Class as Title Race Tightens
In the premier MotoGP division at Motegi, Ducati rider Marc Márquez claimed victory in the 41:31.460 main race after overtaking championship leader Jorge Martín on lap eleven. Martín, starting from pole position on his Aprilia, held the lead through the early stages before finishing 1.363 seconds behind Márquez, with Marco Bezzecchi taking third for Aprilia. Márquez secured 37 points across the weekend following his victory in Saturday’s sprint race, narrowing Martín’s championship lead at the top of the table to just two points, with Martín on 333 points and Márquez on 331. The weekend’s events at Motegi unfolded in front of an attendance of over 120,000 spectators across the three-day event.
Next Stop at the Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia
With six rounds remaining on the Grand Prix calendar, the paddock packs up for the second leg of the autumn Asian series. The teams travel next to the Mandalika circuit for the Indonesian Grand Prix, scheduled to take place from October 9 to October 11.
Worth a look
