Spain’s Marc Marquez again rubber-stamped his MotoGP World Championship-winning 2014 season by charging to victory at the weekend’s Malaysian GP, the penultimate race on the calendar.

The championship race may have ended long ago, the title wrapped up early, but the Honda man was still keen to equal the race win record and add it to his list of achievements this season and this he did by winning the Moto GP race at Sepang on Sunday.

The Repsol Honda rider says his hard-earned victory at Sepang will ease the pressure as he bids to break Mick Doohan’s premier class record of wins in the MotoGP season finale at Valencia.

Marquez overcame a poor start to pass Movistar Yamaha riders Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi to clinch his 12th victory of the season, equalling Aussie Doohan’s feat from 1997.

The Repsol Honda rider can now smash Doohan’s record in Spain next month and says his win in the Malaysian MotoGP will make his job that little bit easier at Valencia.

“In Valencia I don’t want any pressure, I just want to enjoy; here I tried 100% because I knew if I did another crash or bad race then in Valencia the pressure would be higher, but after the victory here I will be free in Valencia,” said Marquez.

“I will try to give a really good show to all my fans and try to enjoy.”

The stifling heat at Sepang pushed the riders to the limit physically and Marquez admitted the race presented a gruelling test of fitness.

“It was a really, really difficult race, especially for the physical conditions, and especially in the beginning because I did a mistake in the first corner,” he said.

“I braked too late and I was going wide and then I touched with Jorge and I lost many positions. I pushed really hard on the first two laps to overtake the riders and after that when I closed on the Yamaha riders I was trying to cool down the brakes, cool down the tyres.

“The on the last seven or eight laps I tried my usual tactical race because in Australia I tried a different one and it was no good!” he added.

“I tried to overtake them and give 100% but it was really difficult because it was really hot under the helmet but I’m very happy to come back at the top and to equal Mick Doohan’s record.”

After winning eleven of the opening twelve races, Marquez had gone four races without a win.

“It was a long time ago, the last victory was in Silverstone. But there were different situations. We got a lot of experience during the second half of the season and I was able to take more risks because of the championship advantage.

“But to come back to the top is really nice. It was my target this weekend and we did it. It means when we concentrate only for the race and don’t do stupid things then we can fight for victory.”

Moto GP race result:

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 40m 45.523s
   2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 40m 47.968s
   3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 40m 49.031s
   4. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 41m 6.757s
   5. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 41m 7.806s
   6. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 41m 20.191s
   7. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 41m 23.958s
   8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 41m 34.362s
   9. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici) 41m 36.315s
   10. Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R)* 41m 44.611s
   11. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 42m 1.472s
   12. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 42m 3.489s
   13. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia)* 42m 13.296s
   14. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)* 42m 29.767s
   Alex De Angelis RSM NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) DNF
   Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) DNF
   Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) DNF
   Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) DNF
   Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) DNF
   Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) DNF
   Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) DNF
   Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) DNF

Moto GP championships standings:

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 337 points
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 275 points (-62)
3. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 263 points (-74)
4. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 230 points (-107)
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 174 points (-163)
6. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 126 points (-211)
7. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 119 points (-218)
8. Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 117 points (-220)
9. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 109 points (-228)
10. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 102 points (-235)
11. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 89 points (-248)
12. Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R)* 75 points (-262)
13. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 67 points (-270)
14. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 63 points (-274)
15. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 53 points (-284)
16. Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 44 points (-293)
17. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 33 points (-304)
18. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici) 21 points (-316)
19. Alex de Angelis RSM NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 14 points (-323)
20. Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) 13 points (-324)
21. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 11 points (-326)
22. Michele Pirro ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 11 points (-326)
23. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)* 9 points (-328)
24. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 9 points (-328)
25. Mike di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia)* 9 points (-328)
26. Katsuyuki Nakasuga JPN Yamalube Racing Team with YSP (YZR-M1) 4 points (-333)