SEPANG – Ducati Lenovo Team rider Marc Marquez strengthened his grip on the MotoGP world championship after clinching victory at the 2026 Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) here today.
The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, produced an impressive performance to take the lead in the 20-lap race at the first corner after overtaking his younger brother Alex Marquez of BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP, who started from pole position.
The 33-year-old maintained his pace throughout the race, navigating the heat and humidity before crossing the finish line in 40 minutes 14.23 seconds (s).
The victory marked his seventh win of the season, taking his championship tally to 399 points, 44 ahead of closest challenger Jorge Martin of Aprilia Racing, who was forced to withdraw from the Malaysian GP as he continues to recover from a wrist injury.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta finished second, while Alex Marquez settled for third.
“I was super focused throughout the weekend. From Free Practice 1 (FP1), I went out as if it was a time attack and then tried to find the limits during practice because, as I said, it was time to take risks.
“We did it and had the perfect race, so I am super, super happy. But my mentality cannot change. I have to keep focused and keep pushing. There are not many races left, but still many moments to go, so we must remain highly concentrated,” he said when met by reporters today.
The 2026 MotoGP season will continue with the Qatar GP (Nov 6-8), Portugal GP (Nov 20-22) and Valencia GP (Nov 27-29). – November 1, 2026