SEPANG (Malaysia): World champion Marc Marquez overcame a six-place grid penalty and took advantage of Italian great Valentino Rossi’s late crash to win the Malaysian MotoGP on Sunday.

Rossi led from early in the race but crashed with four laps to go at the Sepang circuit to give Marquez a clear run to the finish for his ninth win of the season and 70th of his career, and give the Honda team an unassailable lead in the constructors’ championship.

Marquez, who claimed his fifth world championship in Japan two weeks ago, was demoted from pole position to seventh on the grid for impeding Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone in Saturday’s qualifying, but that didn’t hinder him for long as he quickly moved through the field to put pressure on Rossi and eventually forced the Italian into an error.

“I was pushing hard and starting to catch Vale but when I saw his mistake then I cooled down and just finished the race,” said Marquez.

“It was the best way to celebrate the championship.”

Alex Rins finished second for Suzuki ahead of Yamaha pole-sitter Johann Zarco with Rossi’s team mate Maverick Vinales, who gave Yamaha a first win of the season in Australia last week, a creditable fourth after starting 11th on the grid.

Italian Andrea Dovizioso was sixth behind Honda’s Dani Pedrosa to ensure he will finish second in the championship ahead of Rossi, who crossed the line in 18th.

“It is a great, great shame, I am very disappointed for the mistake,” admitted a crestfallen Rossi, who has not won a race this season.

“It is frustrating.”

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2018