After securing second place in the MotoGP World Championship on Saturday, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) delivered an impressive victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday. The #73 rider showcased an impeccable performance, finishing 2.6 seconds ahead of the formidable Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). A late mechanical issue for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) allowed Joan Mir and Honda HRC Castrol to clinch an impressive P3 at Sepang.
Bagnaia Takes Holeshot, Marquez Jumps Early
Just as in the Sprint race, Bagnaia made a strong start and took the holeshot, with Acosta quickly moving into P2. However, Alex Marquez aggressively challenged his fellow Spaniard at Turn 4, and on the next lap, the #73 executed a brilliant inside maneuver on Bagnaia, relegating him to P2 for the first time that weekend.
The Battle of Bagnaia and Acosta
On Lap 3, at Turn 4, Acosta again pursued Bagnaia but was unable to pass, with Bagnaia retaliating at Turn 5. Acosta made another attempt at Turn 9, but once again, he couldn’t make it stick. This thrilling rivalry allowed Marquez to extend his lead to 0.8 seconds, while Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) remained in P4, closely followed by Mir.
As the laps progressed, Marquez maintained a lead around the one-second mark, with Acosta still tailing Bagnaia. The battle continued between Quartararo and Mir, positioned back 1.9 seconds. Meanwhile, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was struggling further behind in P6.
Acosta Seizes Opportunity, Bagnaia Faces Issues
By Lap 10, Mir made a successful move on Quartararo. With a clear track ahead, he was 2.7 seconds behind the podium contenders. A crash by Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) at Turn 1 on Lap 12, shortly after Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) fell out of contention, allowed Marquez to increase his gap over Bagnaia and Acosta.
Acosta then made an aggressive move at Turn 11, reducing the gap to Marquez to just 1.8 seconds. Bagnaia, who had issues with his front medium compound tire, struggled to keep pace. On Lap 14, Marquez clocked a 2:00.546, significantly quicker than both Bagnaia and Acosta, while Mir remained competitive in P4.
Final Lap Drama
With only a few laps remaining, Acosta needed Marquez to falter to have a chance for victory, while a mechanical problem forced Bagnaia to drop from the race, allowing Mir to move up to P3. As the final lap began, Marquez led by 2.8 seconds, comfortably ahead of Acosta, who had a solid gap to Mir in P3.
Marquez’s win marked his first victory outside Spain after finishing second in the championship, while Acosta demonstrated exceptional skill, securing another podium finish. Mir’s P3 added to his strong performance this season, rounding out a successful race weekend for Honda.
Your Malaysian GP Points Scorers
Franco Morbidelli finished P4, followed by Fabio Quartararo in P5 after a challenging race. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) captured P6, while Enea Bastianini started from P19 and impressively secured P7. Luca Marini, Brad Binder, and Ai Ogura rounded out the top ten, while Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) finished low-key in P11, but Pecco’s DNF allowed them to regain P3 overall.
Next Stop: Portimao
With Marquez wrapping up second in the championship, all eyes will shift to the battle for P3. Bezzecchi and Bagnaia are separated by just five points, while Acosta is only 31 points behind Bezzecchi, keeping him in contention. See you in Portugal!
