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Spain's rider Marc Marquez celebrates during the award ceremony of the MotoGP Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Motegi, north of Tokyo on Sun. Oct. 21. (AP/PTI)[/caption]
Motegi (Japan), Oct. 21 (IANS): Spanish rider Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) won his seventh World Championship title after claiming the 2018 MotoGP trophy with a thrilling victory in Japan.
The 25-year-old Spaniard became the youngest ever seven-title winner in history, reports Efe.
"The race was exactly what was in my mind," the Spanish victor said after the win, bringing his total MotoGP titles to five.
Marquez led the race in Japan after taking advantage of a spill from his key Italian rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), who crashed with two laps to go.
The Spaniard led the Japan race in Motegi with a time of 42 minutes and 36.438 seconds, just 1.573 second ahead of second-placed British Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda).
"We tried really hard to achieve consistency, it's something I learned from Dovi," Marquez added.
Spain's Alex Rins (Suzuki) came third in Motegi, while Italian Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) and Spaniard Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Although Dovizioso clinched the pole position on Saturday for the Japan Grand Prix at Motegi's Twin Ring, he finished 18th on Sunday after his crash.
Marquez topped the MotoGP World Standing 2018 with 296 points, followed by runner-up Dovizioso (194 points).
Rossi held the third position with 185 points, ahead of fourth-placed Spain's Maverick Viñales (Yamaha).
