Márquez Wins at Sepang and Takes a First Title Shot to Qatar

Marc Márquez is one step from an eighth MotoGP title. At Sepang on 1 November, the Ducati Lenovo rider grabbed the holeshot from second on the grid and controlled the Malaysian Grand Prix, beating KTM's Pedro Acosta by 4.172 seconds, according to Crash.net. It was his seventh Grand Prix win of 2026.

His brother Alex, on pole for Gresini Ducati, briefly had a say before running wide at Turn 4 and letting Marc back through; he finished third, 5.955 seconds down. The race stayed dry, but the heat was brutal: MCNews reports the track temperature climbing to 55 degrees.

The Sepang top ten

• 1. Marc Márquez (Ducati), 40m14.236s. 2. Pedro Acosta (KTM), +4.172s. 3. Alex Márquez (Gresini Ducati), +5.955s.
• 4. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia), +6.759s. 5. Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM), +10.896s. 6. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), +11.259s.
• 7. Luca Marini (Honda). 8. Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati). 9. Brad Binder (KTM). 10. Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Ducati).

Bastianini took fifth from a fading Bezzecchi on the final lap, and Ogura survived late contact with the same rider at Turn 2. Fabio Quartararo was the best Yamaha in eleventh, while Pecco Bagnaia finished 13th on the other factory Ducati, almost 33 seconds behind. Saturday's rain-hit Sprint went to Acosta after Alex Márquez crashed.

The title maths

Márquez now has 399 points. Jorge Martín, absent in Malaysia while recovering from a broken wrist, has 355, followed by Bezzecchi on 332, Acosta on 295 and Ogura on 278. Each weekend is worth up to 37 points, 12 for the Sprint win and 25 for the Grand Prix, so 111 remain across Qatar, Portugal and Valencia.

That makes Qatar on 8 November the first match point. If Márquez leaves Lusail at least 75 points ahead, with only 74 still available, the championship is his. A Sprint and Grand Prix double would do it as long as Martín scores six points or fewer.

Seven wins, a 44-point cushion and a first match point in Qatar.

There are caveats. MCNews reports that riders are seeking safety and evacuation guarantees for Qatar because of the conflict in the Middle East, although organisers say the race will go ahead. Alex Márquez may also need surgery that would rule him out. After Lusail come Portimão on 22 November and the Valencia finale on 29 November.