Marc Marquez posted a champion’s performance to dominate the Malaysian MotoGP Grand Prix from start to finish as he extended his MotoGP World Championship lead in Jorge Martin’s absence.
The reigning MotoGP Champion eased to a seventh victory of 2026 while Pedro Acosta fought through to a gallant second with Alex Marquez holding off a late charge from Marco Bezzecchi and Ai Ogura for third.
Pedro Acosta Takes Seventh MotoGP Podium of 2026
The Sepang International Circuit has been kind to Pedro Acosta in years gone by. As well as winning his Moto2 World Championship here in 2023, he scored a MotoGP podium on Malaysian soil last year.
It came as no surprise to see Acosta so competitive on Sunday. Saturday’s MotoGP Sprint winner started aggressively to sit third at the end of lap one after exchanging early fire with Enea Bastianini and Ai Ogura.
Acosta passed Alex Marquez for second place on the tenth lap. He then started pushing
Even if he couldn’t challenge for victory, his fourth Grand Prix podium in the past six rounds keeps his hopes of scoring a top three MotoGP Championship finish alive.
It was a solid day for the entire Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, with Brad Binder taking a strong top ten finish after qualifying 15th on Saturday.
Marquez in full control of 2026 MotoGP Championship
Sepang was supposed to be one of Marc Marquez’s weakest tracks. The 33-year old had only scored two MotoGP victories at the Sepang International Circuit in his long and decorated career.
But the nine-time World Champion was the class of the field from the off. Passing pole sitter Alex Marquez on the run to the race’s first turn, Marc wasn’t headed after the first lap as he broke clear of an entertaining fight for second.
There were moments when Acosta tried to close his lead down. But Marquez was always in total control, and eventually stretched out his advantage to 4.1s to claim his seventh MotoGP win of the year.
Marquez knew he had to strike while chief MotoGP Championship rival Jorge Martin was sidelined. Aprilia’s Martin withdrew from the Malaysian Grand Prix on Saturday morning after heroically returning from a broken wrist, sustained the previous week in Australia.
Sunday’s victory, plus second place in Saturday’s MotoGP Sprint, means Marquez’s championship advantage now stands at a commanding 44 points.
Alex Marquez Completes Podium
Alex Marquez made it double joy for the Marquez family by holding on to third place at one of his favourite tracks.
The 30-year old has struggled with a right collarbone injury in recent weeks, which was sustained in a violent crash in Barcelona in June. That seemed to slow the Gresini Ducati rider mid-race in punishing conditions of 36 degrees and 53% humidity.
After Acosta passed him for second, the younger Marquez brother was immediately under fire from Ogura and Bezzecchi behind. But Alex held on for third, 5.9s back of Marc for an important podium finish.
Ogura eventually passed Bezzecchi for fourth three laps from the chequered flag. A mistake for the factory Aprilia rider at Turn 14 on the final lap then allowed Enea Bastianini past for fifth at the end. This means he slips to 67 points behind Marquez in the MotoGP Championship fight.
There is little rest for the MotoGP grid, who head to Doha next week for the Grand Prix of Qatar. Marc Marquez will have his first chance to wrap up the World Championship there if he outscores Martin by 30 points and Bezzecchi by 8.
