Summary
- Takaaki Nakagami fractured his left collarbone in Japanese GP FP1.
- The Honda rider was declared unfit for the remainder of the weekend.
- Nakagami was making a wildcard appearance at his home event.
Takaaki Nakagami has been ruled out of the Japanese Grand Prix after fracturing his left collarbone in Friday’s opening MotoGP practice session at Motegi. The injury ended the Honda development rider’s home appearance before he could complete a timed lap.
Nakagami suffered a highside at Turn 11 during the early stages of FP1 on Friday, 2 October. He walked away from the crash holding his left arm before undergoing a medical assessment.
Honda subsequently confirmed the fracture and announced that he would take no further part in the weekend. That rules Nakagami out of qualifying, Saturday’s Sprint and Sunday’s grand prix.
“Unfortunately Nakagami has sustained a fracture to his left collarbone and has been declared unfit for the weekend,” Honda announced.
Injury ends Nakagami’s home wildcard appearance
Nakagami was competing at Motegi as a Honda wildcard, alongside his work developing the manufacturer’s machinery. His appearance offered another opportunity to race in front of the Japanese fans, but it ended within the opening minutes of track activity.
The Japanese rider had also competed at the previous round in Austria, where he replaced the injured Joan Mir. At Motegi, he returned in a separate wildcard entry rather than occupying Mir’s regular seat.
No recovery timetable was provided in the initial injury announcement. The confirmation established that Nakagami could not continue at Motegi, without specifying when he would be able to ride again.
The Japanese GP continues with qualifying and the Sprint on Saturday, followed by the main race on Sunday. Readers can consult the complete Motegi schedule, including Sprint and race start times.
MotoGP is racing this weekend, from 2–4 October, in Japan. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action at Motegi.
MotoGP today: FAQ
Who won the Japanese MotoGP race today?
Marc Márquez won the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, finishing 1.363s ahead of Jorge Martín. Marco Bezzecchi completed the podium, while Márquez secured a weekend double after also winning Saturday’s Sprint.
Who leads the MotoGP championship after the Japanese GP?
Jorge Martín remains the MotoGP championship leader with 333 points, just 2 ahead of Marc Márquez on 331. Márquez’s two victories in Japan reduced the gap from 12 points at the start of the weekend.
When is the next MotoGP race?
The next MotoGP race is the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika on Sunday, 11 October 2026. The weekend runs from 9–11 October.
What injury did Takaaki Nakagami suffer at Motegi?
Nakagami fractured his left collarbone after crashing in Friday’s opening practice session.
