“A super boring race” was how Marc Marquez described MotoGP’s Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday after finishing on the podium.
The Gresini rider bemoaned the lack of overtakes during the 24-lap race, with aerodynamics, braking and front tyres all contributing to what was a largely dull grand prix dominated by Pecco Bagnaia.
Though Marquez himself made his way from ninth on the grid to finish third, he explained how being just one tenth faster than the rider in front is no longer enough - something like three or four tenths is necessary to break the concertina effect, where riders close on the competitor ahead before having to fall back, whether due to tyre pressures, tyre temperatures or other factors.
A mixed-up grid and the threat of rain both promised the possibility of a classic, but the track had dried after a shower interrupted the Moto2 race - and though rain flags were thrown out mid-race in the MotoGP class, that only seemed to happen out of an abundance of caution.
So once second-place finisher Jorge Martin - who started 11th - and Marquez had incisively made their moves early on, there was little in the way of overtaking action within the top 10.
Ducati rider Enea Bastianini took several laps to pass Brad Binder - closing, getting almost near enough to make a move, before having to fall back again and repeat - but otherwise little wheel-to-wheel action was shown.
But why it so lacking? Marquez - who called the race "super boring" in parc ferme - explained: “I mean, it was boring because there were no overtakes, and I love overtakes.
“It’s true that Pecco did the perfect strategy that was starting in first position and push, push, manage the tyres but try to open the gap because he knows that Martin and me start behind.
“But yeah, this kind of circuit, which is stop-and-go, if you are behind somebody you are losing a lot of performance on the braking, and then you don’t gain on the exit because of aerodynamics.
“So yeah, makes life a lot more difficult and you just can overtake the guy in front if you are three or four tenths faster. If you are one tenth faster, it is impossible.”
Marquez didn't have any overtaking to do once up to third in the race, but did experience front-tyre troubles first-hand in the sprint - with a spike in temperature compromising his efforts to move past Bastianini and perhaps even attack Bagnaia in the Saturday sprint.
Overall, the race echoed another processional event from earlier in the season at the Red Bull Ring - a track that has much in common, layout-wise, with Motegi.
VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi - who finished seventh - said it is “very difficult to brake” when following other riders.
“For me yesterday in the sprint was a shock,” he said. “I didn't expect to suffer so much [in traffic], so today I was a bit more prepared. But anyway I struggled a lot.
“Fortunately, the riders that I passed, I was able to catch, pass immediately, then I had a small space. And this gave me the possibility to continue to push.
“But if you're not able to pass immediately, you stay behind for a couple of laps, then it's tough. The track is very hard-braking, so it's normal.”
The difficulties in following other riders without creating problems on the bike - something even double winner Bagnaia could attest to as he had deliberately dropped off from Acosta in the sprint to cool off his front tyre before Acosta crashed - contributed to the action largely concentrating in the opening lap.
Pramac’s Franco Morbidelli, who felt his race was compromised by a Marquez move that cost him valuable track position, said: “The difference between making P5 and making P3-2-1 is very small. As you see how the riders who start behind and have the positivity, the courage to make way in the first laps - then they stay there.
“It's really difficult to start behind, be seventh-eighth in the first three laps and then catch up and go on the podium. You need to catch up in the first lap, make your own way in the first lap. And this weekend Marc and Jorge were really good to do that.”
However, the order in the points wasn't totally static - and the feeling of a processional race was specifically exacerbated by TV direction favouring a focus on the top four.
There were several jostles for position behind, including on the last lap. Honda’s Luca Marini, who had worked his way past Alex Rins and Raul Fernandez, said: "In the back there are always great battles.
“Every time I say that we also need another camera, in the back.”
