MotoGP Malaysia 2013 Results: Reaction, Stats, Standings, Post-Race Analysis

Marc Marquez may have finished behind Honda Repsol teammate Dani Pedrosa for first place at this Sunday’s Malaysia MotoGP, but he still extended his lead in the standings to 43 points.

The result was Marquez’s 10th consecutive podium finish this season. The Spaniard can tie up his first World Championship next week in Australia, as long as several other performers don’t get their desired finishes.

This is the second year in a row that Pedrosa has triumphed in Malaysia. He overtook Jorge Lorenzo on the fifth lap to take first place before going on to win by 2.757 seconds.

This also marks Pedrosa’s first stage win since May of this year. The Sepang International Circuit appears to be a site of particularly good fortune for the 28-year-old.

The Britons didn’t fare too well in Malaysia, as Carl Crutchlow and Bradley Smith ran out sixth and seventh-place finishes, respectively.

Race Reaction

Marquez’s third second-place finish in his last four races is his worst patch of form since June, but it's still an incredible achievement given that he’s placed outside the top three just once this year, a retirement in Italy.

Twitter reacted to the result with attention still focused primarily on the 20-year-old's heroics:

As aforementioned, Pedrosa’s win only worked in prolonging the inevitable of Marquez eventually claiming the riders’ championship. And in his rookie year, no less.

The youngster has been nothing short of a revelation to the sport. He never quite settles for being sufficient and showed once more in Malaysia that he’s eager to battle for the top spot.

For now, Pedrosa will savour what’s been a rare victory for him this year and hang onto the notion that he’s still capable of posing a threat to the best in the sport. He's currently on track to challenge Lorenzo for second place overall.