MotoGP Malaysia: Márquez wins at Sepang, match point in Qatar

Marc Márquez (Ducati) won the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, his seventh victory of the season. With a 44-point lead over Jorge Martin, who was absent at Sepang, the Spaniard arrives in Qatar with his first match point for an eighth title in the premier class.

A race under control

Márquez got the best start from second on the grid, ahead of his brother Álex Márquez (Gresini Ducati), who had taken pole. Álex briefly passed him before running wide and handing the lead back, and Marc never gave it up again. By lap five he was half a second clear in punishing heat. Pedro Acosta (KTM), Saturday's sprint winner, passed Álex for second on lap ten but could not threaten the leader. Márquez won by 4.172 s.

Grand Prix result (20 laps):

• 1. Marc Márquez (Ducati)
• 2. Pedro Acosta (KTM), +4.172 s
• 3. Álex Márquez (Gresini Ducati), +5.955 s
• 4. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia), +6.759 s
• 5. Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM), +10.896 s
• 6. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), +11.259 s

Aprilia: contact and a final-lap error

Ogura and Bezzecchi touched late in the race. Ogura admitted he was 70 per cent to blame for the contact. Bezzecchi, already passed by Ogura, then made a mistake on the last lap and lost fifth place to Bastianini. Pecco Bagnaia finished thirteenth, 32.9 s behind his team-mate. Johann Zarco retired with a technical problem, and Joan Mir pulled out ill.

The title could be decided in Qatar

In the standings Márquez has 399 points, Jorge Martin 355 and Bezzecchi 332. There are 111 points left across three rounds. To be crowned in Qatar, the Ducati rider must leave Lusail with a 74- or 75-point lead, depending on whether he wins the Grand Prix and on his closest rival, because wins break ties. If he finishes sixth or lower in the sprint, the title cannot be decided on Sunday and the fight moves on to Portugal. If crowned, Márquez would join Giacomo Agostini on eight premier-class titles.

The editorial team