Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) gets his first chance to clinch a seventh World Championship at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan this weekend. His nearest challenger is Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, 77 points adrift with 100 still to play for, with third in the Championship Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) the only other rider still mathematically in with a chance of snatching the title away from the Spaniard - 99 points the gap.
In other words, if he concedes less than two points to Dovizioso and no more than 24 to Rossi, Marquez will be crowded 2018 MotoGP™ World Champion. So, what results does the 25-year-old need in order to lift the trophy in Honda’s backyard?
Marquez will be Champion if:
- He wins.
- He finishes second, third or fourth and Dovizioso doesn’t finish ahead of him.
- He finishes fifth and Dovizioso is no higher than fourth.
- He finishes sixth and Dovizioso is no better than fifth.
- He finishes anywhere between seventh and 15th and Dovizioso isn’t more than two places ahead.
- He doesn’t finish, Dovizioso finishes no higher than 14th and Rossi doesn’t win.