MotoGP: "I've never been as close to Marc all season as I was today. When I tried to attack him, the front started to move."

Marquez's younger brother Alex, who is his closest rival in the standings, fractured his hand in a crash with Pedro Acosta. The 29-year-old, who is now 68 points behind his older brother, jumped back to his feet but was gingerly holding his wrist as he was biked back to the pit lane and was taken to the medical centre for a check-up.

Ducati's Marc Marquez launched a spirited defence of his younger brother Alex on Sunday, condemning critics who have questioned whether his sibling is deliberately avoiding challenging him for victories in sprints and races this season.