Flashback 2018: Top five moments in MotoGP

Bengaluru, December 12: The year 2018 saw Marc Marquez win the FIM MotoGP World Championship crown for the third consecutive year and fifth in all.

It was the Spaniard's seventh overall FIM World Championship title across all categories as the Repsol Honda rider kept raising the bar all the time.

Since making his MotoGP debut under lights at the Losail International Circuit in the 2013 Qatar Grand Prix, Marquez has taken the FIM World Championship by storm, pushing his illustrious rivals to shade.

The 2018 season was no different with the 25-year-old winning nine races overall and clinching the FIM MotoGP World Championship crown with three rounds to spare.

But 2018 wasn't just about Marquez. Here myKhel.com looks at top five moments of the 2018 FIM MotoGP World Championship season.

Pedrosa's retirement

The traditional season-ending Valencia Grand Prix in November marked the end of Dani Pedrosa's illustrious career.

After taking the third most podiums of all time behind only Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini, the 33-year-old retires at the end of 2018 - and now joins the ranks of MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame.

Lorenzo's switch to Honda

In June, three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo announced that he will team up with reigning champion Marc Marquez at Repsol Honda in 2019, having finalised a switch from Ducati.

The statistics of the superstar line-up of Marquez and Lorenzo at Honda make for incredible reading: the two men share a total of 11 Championships, 130 victories and 255 podiums between them - many of which have been fought against each other.

Lap of the world

A third place in the FIM World Championship standings might not be an indicator of what Rossi means to MotoGP and the other way round.

Wherever he has raced, the stands have always been drenched in yellow and it glows just like the fluorescent No.46 on his bike.

During the Jerez Grand Prix in May, the Italian, reached an impressive milestone as he completed the equivalent of a lap of the world. The Movistar Yamaha rider completed his 40,075th kilometre - enough to travel the circumference of the planet.

Ending Yamaha drought

Twenty five races since their last win - taken by Valentino Rossi at the TT Circuit Assen last season - Yamaha were back on the top step at the Australian MotoGP as Maverick Vinales brought an end to victory drought in imperious style.

The Spaniard's first win since Le Mans 2017 saw him take the flag 1.5sec clear of second place Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), with Ducati Team's Andrea Dovizioso taking his first podium for the Borgo Panigale factory at Phillip Island.

Last-lap show

Always spoken as a possible title challenger to Marquez, Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso flattered to deceive after a promising start which saw him win the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit after a thrilling last-lap duel with Marquez.

Reigning world champion Marquez made his move through turn 15 but he was unable to make it stick, and Dovizoso led into the final corner meaning he was able to slingshot his Desmosedici over the line, 0.027s ahead.