Marc Marquez won the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang to move 44 points clear of absent rival Jorge Martin and close in on retaining his MotoGP championship.
The reigning champion, riding for Ducati, passed his brother Alex into the opening turn after starting behind the pole-sitter. Alex briefly reclaimed the lead before running wide a corner later, allowing Marc to take control.
Marc Marquez remained unchallenged thereafter, crossing the finish line more than four seconds ahead for his first victory since 2018. The result lifted his championship total to 399 points.
He can secure an eighth title at next weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix if he extends his advantage over Martin to 74 points, with two rounds still remaining after the race in Lusail.
“We did a perfect race, so I’m super, super happy,” Marquez said. “But my mentality still cannot change. I have to keep focus, keep pushing. There are not many races to go, but there are many moments left. So we must be super confident.”
Pedro Acosta, who won Saturday’s sprint for KTM, finished second, while Alex Marquez took third for Gresini.
Alex was involved in a close contest with Acosta after losing the lead. The KTM rider stayed behind him for several laps before making his move at the midway point, although the gap to Marc Marquez had already become too large to close.
Marco Bezzecchi finished sixth for Aprilia after being passed late in the race by Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura and Tech3’s Enea Bastianini.
Martin had been expected to return in Malaysia after suffering a wrist fracture in a crash at Phillip Island in Australia the previous week. He briefly attempted to take part in Saturday morning practice but was visibly struggling, and later withdrew without competing in qualifying.
The Aprilia rider, who won the title in 2024, acknowledged after ending his weekend early that his championship challenge was essentially over.
The MotoGP season now moves to the Lusail International Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix next weekend, despite riders’ concerns about travelling there during the United States-Israel war on Iran.
