Dovizioso wins Malaysian GP, keeps MotoGP title race alive

SEPANG: The 2017 MotoGP world championship title race is very much alive! Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati, with his victory at the Malaysian GP on Sunday, has ensured it even though it is more a mathematical equation than a shootout of equal footing for the crown at the final Grand Prix in Valencia, a fortnight away.

In a wet race -- something Marc Marquez, the championship front-runner, and Repsol Honda were dreading the whole weekend -- Dovizioso beat Ducati teammate Jorge Lorenzo to take the chequered flag at Sepang Circuit, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) finishing third.

As things stand, Marquez, with 282 points, has a 21 point lead in the title race over Dovizioso (261). With a maximum of 25 points up for grabs in Valencia on November 12, Dovizioso, who keeps reiterating that he has nothing to lose, will go all out like he did in Malaysia. Marquez, racing at home, would also want to win the title in style even though a 11th place finish is good enough for him to retain the crown.

Realistically speaking, Ducati have a near improbable, if not impossible task at hand.

“Yes, it would be tough but then all races are tough,” said a philosophical Dovizioso.

MORBIDELLI MOTO2 CHAMP

Earlier, Italian Franco Morbidelli, riding a Kalex, sealed the Moto2 world title with a third place finish, even as it started drizzling at the track.

Morbidelli’s title rival, Thomas Luthi of Switzerland, had pulled out of the race after a crash on Saturday, handing the title to the Italian even before the race on Sunday. But Morbidelli didn’t want to win it as a hand out, he revealed after the race.

“I wanted to win with at least a podium here. So I went all out, except for the last lap that is, when things got tricky as it started raining,” said Morbidelli.