MotoGP: Looking ahead to the Japanese Grand Prix

It was an edge of the seat stuff at the first ever MotoGP race in the Buriram Circuit of Thailand as Marc Marquez took the chequered flag fending off Italian rival Andrea Dovizioso by the smallest of margins.

It was a feast for the Thai fans getting their first taste of live MotoGP action as the climax of the race brought about some high-quality stuff from both Marquez and Dovizioso.

It was Marquez's seventh win of the season helping him extend his lead over Dovizioso in the Riders' Championship to 77 points with four races remaining.

The Yamaha's fared better and Spaniard Maverick Vinales pipped Italian legend Valentino Rossi to take the third position.

It was a spectacular race and eight drivers were separated by less than two seconds up to the halfway mark following which the trio of Dovizioso, Marquez and Rossi began to make some room between them and the rest of the pack.

It was sweet revenge for Marquez over his rival Dovizioso who had pulled off similar moves over him in Austria 2017, Motegi 2017 and Qatar earlier this year.

Marquez' win at Thailand means that he is now level with compatriot Jorge Lorenzo with 68 premier class wins. Interestingly enough Jorge Lorenzo hampered by a wrist injury sustained during practice did not start the race.

The action now shifts to the Twin Ring Motegi Circuit in Japan where Marquez will be looking to fend off the challenge from the Ducatis and Yamahas to seal his fifth Riders' Championship at the home base of Team Honda.

Rossi and Dani Pedrosa have won three times at Motegi and will be looking to register their first wins of the season. But can they stop Rider #93 Marquez from winning his 8th win of the season? Find out at the Twin Ring Motegi Circuit later this month.