MotoGP Grand Prix of Malaysia 2018 Results: Marc Marquez Takes 9th Win

World champion Marc Marquez was victorious yet again on Sunday, taking his ninth win of the 2018 MotoGP season at the Malaysian Grand Prix after Valentino Rossi crashed out of the lead of the race.

The two seemed set for a late battle at the front of the race when Rossi buckled under the pressure, hitting the tarmac with just a few laps to go:

The crash handed Marquez the race win on a platter, as he eased off the gas and beat compatriot Alex Rins and France's Johann Zarco to the finish line.

Rossi's crash also secured second place in the overall standings for Andrea Dovizioso with one race still to go. Repsol Honda locked up the constructor's title.

Here are the full race results:

Rossi made an excellent start to put himself at the front of the pack, while Marquez quickly navigated his way up the field after a grid penalty had pushed him back. He survived a scary moment in the opening stages, narrowly avoiding a crash and sending Andrea Iannone into a slide that ended his race.

The Italian and Spaniard quickly built a gap to the rest of the field, with Rossi the faster man initially. His lead grew to nearly two seconds before Marquez started eating into it, setting up a tense finale.

Fans likely expected an intense battle in the closing stages, but Rossi lost control before the two had the chance to engage. The reaction from the Yamaha garage was as expected:

He did return to the track to finish the race but did so well outside the points.

Despite the disappointing result, he drew praise from Jorge Lorenzo, who didn't race at Sepang. The Doctor thanked his old rival for the compliment:

Maverick Vinales showed his impressive speed in a late rise up to fourth place, and Dani Pedrosa took fifth. 

The 2018 MotoGP season will end in Valencia on November 18.