Francesco Bagnaia’s Motegi sprint ended when escalating rear-tyre vibration made it impossible for him to continue. The problem appeared around the halfway point of the 12-lap race and became more severe on every lap, forcing the Ducati rider to pull out.

Bagnaia had already faced a difficult Saturday after missing Q2. His qualifying attempt slipped away when he ran wide at the final corner. The sprint initially offered a route back into contention: he gained two positions after a three-rider crash and was moving towards a possible battle for ninth with Fabio Quartararo and Fermin Aldeguer.

Rear grip remains Bagnaia’s main concern

Bagnaia said the motorcycle had taken a small step forward compared with the previous day, while stressing that rear grip was still the central weakness. He had begun recovering ground in the race, but the vibration then arrived midway through the sprint. As it intensified lap after lap, stopping became the only option. Before the failure, Bagnaia believed ninth place was a realistic target.

Marc Marquez won the sprint. Jorge Martin was initially listed in second, but post-race position changes moved Diogo Moreira into that place. Marquez will start Sunday’s Grand Prix from second on the grid, with Bagnaia facing a 13th-place start and the task of addressing the rear-tyre problem before the main race.