Five-time 500cc world champion Mick Doohan has praised Marc Marquez for winning his fifth MotoGP crown in Japan, the Australian saying he is “proud” to sit equal with the Spaniard.
Doohan won five premier class titles on the bounce between 1994 and 1998 with Honda, and has spent the last two decades as one of only three riders after Giacomo Agostini [eight] and Valentino Rossi [seven] to have won five top tier crowns.
Marquez's victory in a tense Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday secured him his fifth MotoGP title in six years, equaling fellow Honda champion Doohan's tally.
Doohan expressed his pride at sharing this “milestone” with the Spaniard, while describing him as “inimitable”.
“Marc is a brilliant rider and deserves all he has achieved at only 25 years old,” said Doohan, who retired from grand prix racing in 1999.
“He is riding a perfect season, with eight wins to date, combined with his strong consistency that’s put him on the podium at most races.
“I want to congratulate Marc on his fifth MotoGP title. I am proud to share this milestone with him.
“Thanks Marc for the great show that you make on the track and for your style, which is just inimitable.”
Marquez's path to the '18 crown began with a second-place finish in Qatar after narrowly being beaten by Andrea Dovizioso to the win, before tallying up three victories in succession in Texas, Jerez and Le Mans.
Barring the Argentine and Italian Grands Prix, Marquez finished all races on the podium, adding five more wins to his scorecard.
Marquez's fifth MotoGP title is his seventh across all three classes, putting him within two of Rossi's tally and eight away from Agostini's 15.
The new world champion has now also become the youngest rider in history to seal seven crowns, a record held by the late, great Mike Hailwood since 1966.
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