A huge day in the ever-changing Moto2 2026 title chase unfolds at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan as Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) capitalises on Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) scoring zero points to reduce the gap between the championship front-running pair to a slender 10.5 points. Guevara’s second win on the spin, his third of the season, was one clinched under immense pressure after second-place finisher Tony Arbolino (REDS Fantic Racing) shadowed the Spaniard all the way. The latter earns his first podium of the season, with third-place finisher Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team) collecting his fifth of the campaign.
Before the lights even went out, huge drama unfolded on the front row of the grid as Gonzalez threw his hand up with a clutch issue, which meant the title race leader was wheeled off the grid. The race start wasn’t paused either – we got underway with the Moto2 Japanese Grand Prix without Gonzalez, who eventually fired out of pit lane nearly 30s away from the race leader.
Which was? Guevara. Gonzalez’s chief title threat grabbed the holeshot from pole position to lead Arbolino, Salač, Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – JP Financial – MSI), and the CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team pair of David Alonso and Daniel Holgado.
On Lap 9 of 19, the top five were 1.4s clear of a fading Holgado, with no changes in the above order for now, but the threat of passes was certainly lingering. 0.5s split Guevara, Arbolino, and Salač on the road, with Ortola and Alonso losing touch ever so slightly – the Spaniard and Colombian were 0.9s adrift of the front three halfway around Lap 10.
A hat-trick of fastest laps of the race saw Celestino Vietti (BETA Tools SpeedRS Team) reel in Ortola and Alonso, who were now 1.3s adrift of the podium scrap. And that fight was still bubbling away nicely, with Arbolino and Salač maintaining some serious pressure on Guevara.
The first attempt at making a move on Guevara came at Turn 9 with three to go. It was optimistic and didn’t work. Arbolino was up the inside, but in hot and wide on the exit to allow Guevara to sweep back through and keep the lead, but it was a warning shot from the Italian.
It was a move that gave Guevara a relatively comfortable – by Moto2 standards – lead going onto the final lap though. 0.5s was the advantage, with Arbolino also 0.5s clear of Salač, who was coming under increasing pressure from the Ortola, Alonso, and Vietti trio.
But in the end, no late attacks came. A flawless, metronomic performance from Guevara inflicts maximum damage on Gonzalez’s championship lead, leaving the gap at just 10.5 points from 35.5 pre-race, as we strap in for a trip to Indonesia. Huge.
Arbolino’s 34-race streak without a podium ends in fine style, with Salač collecting another rostrum in 2026 to continue his fine run of form. Ortola held off Alonso and Vietti across the line in the top six scrap, with Deniz Öncü (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) earning his best finish of the season in P7. Holgado slipped to P8 at the chequered flag to finish ahead of Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – the Spaniards complete the top 10 in Japan.
Moto2 Japanese GP race results!