Runaway world championship leader Marc Marquez has made it 11 wins from 12 races this season after winning the British MotoGP at Silverstone.

The 21-year-old Spanish Honda rider – who on Saturday claimed his 10th pole position of the campaign – prevailed in a stunning duel with compatriot and two-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha on Sunday.

Lorenzo’s teammate Italian legend Valentino Rossi was third in what was a record 246th MotoGP appearance while Marquez’s fellow Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, who won the Czech GP last time out, was fourth.

It was the third successive race Yamaha had filed the minor podium placings.

Marquez has 288 points with Pedrosa, who signed a two year extension with Honda, second on 199 and Rossi, who has also committed himself for another two years to Yamaha, third on 189 while Lorenzo has 157 with six races remaining.

Marquez, whose rare off day in the Czech Republic saw him finish fourth, said that he had enjoyed the tussle with Lorenzo.

“Honestly Jorge was much stronger than I expected,” he said.

“When I passed him the first time I made a small mistake and he got the lead back.

“However, I recalled what happened last year (he finished second to Lorenzo in the same race) and I didn’t want a repeat of that so I ensured once I got back in front again I wouldn’t let it slip.”

Lorenzo, who had won the past two editions of the British race, said that he had been surprised by the performance of his bike.

“Marc has the power but as I have said in racing sometimes you have surprises,” said the 27-year-old.

“Once I hit the front I rode like a demon. However, once Marc passed me towards the end of the race I was too tired to react.”

Lorenzo got a terrific start shooting into the lead ahead of Marquez, whose weakest part of his armoury has been his starts, while Pedrosa got an awful one dropping to sixth.

Lorenzo kept Marquez at bay toying with him at times forcing the younger Spaniard to go out wide, costing him ground but Pedrosa was unable to make any inroads into their lead and indeed was four seconds down with eight laps to the chequered flag before falling further back.

The duel up front heated up considerably with five laps to go as Marquez passed Lorenzo but the Yamaha rider bit back immediately and passed Marquez almost immediately.

However, the irrepressible youngster was not to be denied, regaining the lead late before completing the win.