Australian young gun Jack Miller paid dearly for a last lap error as Spain’s Alex Marquez won the Moto 3 race in Japan and extended his world championship lead.

The drama completed a tumultuous Japanese weekend for Queensland-born Miller, who also crashed during qualifying.

Miller led for much of the Motegi race, with a lead pack of six riders in the hunt for a race victory coming into the final lap.

As riders jostled for position at the end of the back straight, Miller and English rider Danny Kent both ran wide then narrowly avoided a collision on re-entry.

Miller finished fifth – 1.2 seconds behind victor Marquez.

Marquez, the younger brother of MotoGP world champion Marc, moved 25 points ahead of Miller with the win.

Miller’s race position matched his qualifying result, remarkably achieved after getting back on his bike after crashing.

The Australian started the Moto3 season looking every bit a world champion with three race wins in five meets.

But he’s been bettered by Marquez in each of the last five rounds to lose the championship lead.

Just three rounds of the championship remain, beginning with the Australian leg at Phillip Island next weekend.

AAP bmc/ptj

Results – Motorcycling grand prix of Japanese

1. Alex Marquez (ESP/Honda) 39min 26.830sec, 2. Efren Vazquez (ESP/Honda) at 0.357, 3. Brad Binder (RSA/Mahindra) 0.484, 4. John McPhee (GBR/Honda) 0.672, 5. Jack Miller (AUS/KTM) 1.161, 6. Danny Kent (GBR/Husqvarna) 1.796, 7. Romano Fenati (ITA/KTM) 5.927, 8. Enea Bastianini (ITA/KTM) 6.025, 9. Niccolo Antonelli (ITA/KTM) 6.527, 10. Alex Rins (ESP/Honda) 6.686

World Championship standings (after 15 of 18 races)

1. Alex Marquez (ESP/Honda) 231, 2. Jack Miller (AUS/KTM) 206, 3. Alex Rins (ESP/Honda) 194, 4. Romano Fenati (ITA/KTM) 174, 5. Efren Vazquez (ESP/Honda) 174, 6. Alexis Masbou (FRA/Honda) 140, 7. Isaac Vinales (ESP/Calvo KTM) 121, 8. Enea Bastianini (ITA/KTM) 116, 9. Danny Kent (GBR/Husqvarna) 103, 10. Brad Binder (RSA/Mahindra