The battle for the world MotoGP championship switches to Malaysia this weekend with the gap between leader Valentino Rossi and Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo whittled down to 11 points.

Lorenzo was set for victory in Sunday's Australian race at Phillip Island only to be trumped by Marc Marquez inside the final lap of a spine-tingling finish.

Defending world champion Marquez, coming off the pole, pipped his fellow Spaniard by 0.249 seconds for his fifth win of the season, with Italian Ducati rider Andrea Iannone third.

Lorenzo's small comfort was that he shaved seven points off Rossi's championship lead with just two races remaining at Sepang and Valencia to decide this year's world champion.

Lorenzo admitted he felt Marquez's Honda had the edge around the sweeping turns at Phillip Island and was satisfied with the result.