Rossi and Marquez in monumental clash

Dani Pedrosa has taken a dominant victory in Malaysia, leading from start to finish to take his second MotoGP victory of 2015 from Jorge Lorenzo.

However, the real drama of the race came from the battle for third, where a collision between Valentino Rossi and Marquez left the reigning world champion in the gravel and furious at Rossi’s move.

Desperate to get clear of Marquez – who looked to be dicing with Rossi instead of chasing down the leaders, something Rossi accused him of last time out at Phillip Island – the pair touched at turn fourteen.

With the decision still under investigation by race control, Rossi will step onto the podium in third, now seven points ahead of Jorge Lorenzo with only one race remaining.

Bradley Smith was an excellent fourth, coming through past Cal Crutchlow, who was involved in his own dramas through the race. Crutchlow made contact with Dovizioso, causing the Ducati rider to fall, in another incident that is also under investigation by a busy race control.

Danilo Petrucci was a strong sixth on the Pramac satellite Ducati, while Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales had a strong run – and a race long dice – into seventh and eighth on the Suzukis. Pol Espargaro was ninth after a warm-up crash caused by Hector Barbera, and Stefan Bradl took his best result on the Aprilia for tenth.