The Japan Times - Marc Marquez rolls out Messi-inspired celebration as seventh MotoGP title looms

Ducati rider Marc Marquez, who is Catalan, whipped off his race leathers and showed them to the crowd while on the podium stage in Misano Adriatico, after winning a race which sets up a potential title triumph in Japan later this month.

It was a similar gesture to Messi's when he took his shirt off and held it up to the Santiago Bernabeu crowd after scoring a late winner at Real Madrid for Barcelona back in 2017.

"Messi did it in Bernabeu and today I felt the pressure from yesterday's mistake, I felt the pressure that it was the time to do it for Ducati because for them it was a super important GP," he told reporters.

"I enjoyed it and it was the best way to reply, win a race and come back with a high confidence.

The 32-year-old said that he had planned the celebration ahead of Sunday's race, which he won ahead of Marco Bezzecchi to take his points tally to a record-breaking 512 for the season.

"Last night I said... I need to win and then let's see if I feel (like doing it). And when I won I feel, and yeah It was nice."

Marc Marquez needs to gain three more points than his brother Alex Marquez at the Japan MotoGP to move level on seven world titles with his great rival and motorcycling icon Valentino Rossi.

Y.Kimura--JT