Marco Bezzecchi admitted the medium Michelin rear was a misstep after slipping to sixth at the Motegi sprint.
Sus‑shove for the wrong compound
Bezzecchi’s decision to run the medium rear compound, alongside Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller, proved a liability at the Japanese Grand Prix sprint. The choice put him at the back of the field on the opening laps and never recovered, as his lap times stalled in the closing stages.
Practice pace not reflected on track
During FP2 Saturday morning, Bezzecchi posted a 1m43.321‑second lap on a 16‑lap-old rear, the fastest time of the session and ahead of both teammate Jorge Martín and KTM’s Pedro Acosta. Yet in the 12‑lap sprint he broke the 1m44 barrier only once, finishing his best lap at 1m43.873—a full five seconds slower than his practice best. Martín, by contrast, managed a lap within a tenth of Bezzecchi’s FP2 time.
Hard‑won podiums from the rival camp
Marc Marquez took the sprint victory for Ducati while Jorge Martín rounded the field in third, despite late‑stage tyre trouble on the soft rear. Bezzecchi’s sixth‑place finish saw him concede significant time to both rivals, tightening the points race and fueling his post‑race frustration.
“Calculated risk” turns to regret
In reflecting on his tyre choice, the 27‑year‑old explained that, “On paper, it was the right choice.” He acknowledged the risk of remaining vulnerable on the opening laps and later admitted that a soft rear would have been the superior option. “We decided to try the medium this morning to see if I could have at least the two options,” he said, noting that the heat from the rear tyre pushed the limit on the early laps.
Still no clear explanation for the drop‑off
When asked why he felt “one second too slow” in the sprint, Bezzecchi declined to speculate. “I cannot explain it,” he said, “I don’t want to say anything wrong too early. So I prefer to check everything.” The Italian will now review data from the session and the tyre’s performance before the next race.
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