OMNISPORT

MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez is closing in on another record heading into the penultimate race of the season at the Malaysian Grand Prix, though he insists it is not on his mind.

Having already secured his fourth successive championship, Marquez is now aiming to better the record points tally of 383 points, set by his now Honda Repsol teammate Jorge Lorenzo in 2010.

Lorenzo, then of Yamaha, amassed the total across 18 races in the 2010 season, while Marquez - after 17 events so far in 2019 - has managed 375.

To surpass the record, Marquez, who has won the last five races on the bounce, will need to finish seventh or higher.

"No, I never changed the strategy even when I was fighting for the championship," Marquez told a news conference when asked about breaking the points record. "The strategy will be the same. It's true I can score the most points over 18 races but it's a record we will remember if somebody gets it again, so I don't care about this record.

"I'll keep the same strategy, target to try and finish on the podium but of course today my target is to win. My opponents will give an answer whether that will be possible over the weekend."

While finishing seventh or above should prove a routine task for Marquez, adverse weather could present the biggest obstacle for the Spaniard, with heavy rain forecast.