Marc Marquez wins Malaysian Grand Prix to open 44-point MotoGP lead

Marc Marquez extended his MotoGP championship lead to 44 points by winning the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, while title rival Jorge Martin was unable to race because of injury. According to BBC Sport, the reigning champion finished more than four seconds clear to take his points total to 399 and strengthen his bid for another title.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHVzJaJ9dB0

Pedro Acosta finished second, with Alex Marquez completing the podium in third. The result gave Marc Marquez his first victory in Malaysia since 2018. The seven-time MotoGP champion, who won his first title in the category in 2013, now has an opportunity to secure the championship at next week's Qatar Grand Prix, although that outcome remains dependent on the points gap.

The early stages brought a contest between the Marquez brothers for the lead. Marc eventually pulled away, leaving Alex to fight Acosta for the other podium positions. Acosta came out ahead in that battle, while Marc built the winning margin to more than four seconds. BBC Sport's report did not give a more precise finishing gap.

Martin's absence followed an attempt to take part in the morning practice session. The 2024 champion struggled with the fractured wrist he sustained in a crash at the previous week's Australian Grand Prix and withdrew from the race. The report did not confirm when he would return, leaving his availability for the next round uncertain as Marquez's advantage increased.

After the race, Marquez expressed satisfaction with his performance but stressed that his approach to the remaining races would not change. BBC Sport reported that he described the race as perfect and said he needed to maintain his concentration and continue pushing. Despite the reduced number of races left, he emphasised that there were still important moments ahead.

The next championship calculation centres on Qatar. BBC Sport reported that Marquez would secure the title with two rounds remaining if he extended his lead to 74 points there. That would require a further 30-point increase on his advantage after Malaysia; Sunday's victory alone did not settle the championship.