The Spanish motorcyclist Marc Marquez has retained his MotoGP world title with a second place finish in the Japanese Grand Prix.
By claiming 20 points for a second-place finish, the 21-year-old stretched his championship lead over Italian Valentino Rossi of Yamaha and his team mate and compatriot Dani Pedrosa to an unassailable 82 points with three races remaining.
Spanish motorcycle champion Marc Marquez Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Marquez says he's really happy to win the title on Honda's home circuit and I offer my thanks to my family and to the team for giving me the best material and motivation to win the world title.
Yamaha's double former world champion Jorge Lorenzo claimed victory on the day 1.638 seconds ahead of Marquez, who overtook Rossi with eight laps remaining and held off the Italian to secure the title.
Pedrosa finished fourth.
It was the second consecutive win for Spaniard Lorenzo after his victory in the rain-hit Aragon Grand Prix last month.
Catalan Marquez continues to blaze a trail through every class he has raced in, first winning the 125cc title in 2010, then the Moto2 crown in 2012 before claiming back-to-back MotoGP titles.
He could have settled the championship earlier in the season after registering a record 11 consecutive wins but crashes in San Marino and Alcaniz in the last two races delayed his coronation.
"It's difficult to explain right now but I have been in MotoGP for two years and won two titles. It is incredible and something I could not have imagined," Marquez said, adding that he was under pressure after the last two crashes.
Marquez, who last year became the youngest MotoGP world champion at the age of 20, stopped on his victory lap and was presented with a ceremonial sword by a Samurai warrior flanked by a pair of kimono-clad female assistants.
He waved the sword above his head towards his supporters before returning it to the Samurai and remounting his bike to complete the lap of honour.
The Spaniard took his season tally to 312 points with Rossi and Pedrosa on 230. Lorenzo is fourth, three points further adrift. A race win is worth 25 points.
