DALL’IGNA PRAISES MARQUEZ’S DOMINANT SEPANG WIN

Marc Marquez’s commanding Malaysian Grand Prix victory drew high praise from Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna, who said the Spaniard delivered at exactly the right moment in the championship fight.

Marquez led every lap at Sepang and finished more than four seconds clear, securing his seventh win of the 2026 season. It was his third premier-class victory at the circuit, and his first there since 2018. Dall’Igna described it as perhaps Marquez’s most authoritative performance of the year, following a more measured approach in the Sprint.

“Since returning from injury, he literally hasn’t put a foot wrong – the true mark of a champion,” Dall’Igna wrote in his post-race blog. He called the Grand Prix “a flawless race” and “the stroke of the master at the very best time”, adding that Marquez had seized an opportunity he could not afford to miss.

The result strengthened Marquez’s title position ahead of the Qatar round. He now leads injured Jorge Martin by 44 points and Marco Bezzecchi by 67, and can clinch the championship there if the results fall his way. Martin was absent at Sepang, while Dall’Igna noted that Bezzecchi had not shown his usual level of performance. The Ducati boss said the team would rather win through direct competition, but acknowledged that Marquez had made the most of Martin’s absence.

Dall’Igna stressed that the race was more demanding than Marquez’s margin suggested. Sepang’s heat made rear-tyre management critical, but Marquez gradually increased his advantage and maintained a pace his rivals could not match. He crossed the line to claim his 80th MotoGP victory, with Dall’Igna praising his strength, intelligence, talent and control of the tyres. “Marc did an incredible job, drawing the absolute maximum from the bike, as he always does,” he said, calling the result “another masterpiece”.

Alex Marquez completed the podium in third for Gresini, adding important points for Ducati in the constructors’ standings. After crashing in Saturday’s Sprint, he recovered with what Dall’Igna described as a tough, determined ride. Alex resisted repeated pressure and counter-attacks, then found enough pace in the closing laps to secure the result despite being physically compromised.

Dall’Igna said Alex’s podium also demonstrated the bike’s strength. He wished the rider well ahead of surgery that week and a quick recovery, extending the same wishes to Martin.