THE 2014 MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez won his twelfth grand prix of the season in Malaysia whilst his team-mate Dani Pedrosa crashed out twice.
In blistering heat, Movistar Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo took the lead from the start. Pedrosa lost the front at Turn 15 but was able to remount. After making his way through the pack to 11th, the Spaniard crashed out of the race for a second time and had to retire.
It was down to Lorenzo, Marquez and Italian Valentino Rossi to fight it out for the win with Rossi passing Lorenzo for the lead at around half race distance. Marquez followed suit leaving Lorenzo in third. The 21-year-old Spaniard hunted Rossi down for the lead and two laps later had eventually pulled out a significant gap and was ahead of nine-time World Champion Rossi.
Marquez took his twelfth victory of the season meaning he has now equalled Mick Doohan’s record for the most premier class victories in one season. Thanks to Marquez (and with a little help from Pedrosa, although not today) Honda has now won the Constructor’s title for 2014.
LCR Honda’s Stefan Bradl finished in fourth just ahead of Monster Yamaha Tech3’s Bradley Smith in fifth. Smith had the chance to take fourth, but ran on at the final corner.
Despite a huge crash for Pol Espargaro in Free Practice 3 leaving him with a broken bone in his foot, the Spaniard finished the race in sixth.
Yonny Hernandez finished seventh with Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso eighth after suffering a technical issue. His team-mate Cal Crutchlow also retired due to an electrical problem.
Aleix Espargaro and Alvaro Bautista crashed out at Turn 1 on only the second lap and both were unable to remount.
Nicky Hayden was another DNF, but this time at Turn 9.
Race results:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team 40:45.523
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 40:47.968 (+2.445)
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 40:49.031(+3.508)
4. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP 41:6.757(+21.234)
5. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 41:7.806(+22.283)
6. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 41:20.191(+34.668)
7. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing 41:23.958(+38.435)
8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team 41:34.362(+48.839)
9. Hector Barbera* ESP Avintia Racing 41:36.315(+50.792)
10. Scott Redding* GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini 41:44.611 (+59.088)
11. Hiroshi Aoyama* JPN Drive M7 Aspar 42:1.472 (+1:15.949)
12. Michael Laverty* GBR Paul Bird Motorsport 42:3.489 (+1:17.966)
13. Mike Di Meglio* FRA Avintia Racing 42:13.296 (+1:27.773)
14. Broc Parkes* AUS Paul Bird Motorsport 42:29.767 (+1:44.244)
DNF. Alex De Angelis* RSM NGM Forward Racing
DNF. Danilo Petrucci* ITA IodaRacing Project
DNF. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team
DNF. Karel Abraham* CZE Cardion AB Motoracing
DNF. Nicky Hayden* USA Drive M7 Aspar
DNF. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team
DNF. Aleix Espargaro* ESP NGM Forward Racing
DNF. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini
