MotoGP Sepang: Bagnaia wins as title fight extends to Valencia

Just two points separate Ducati Lenovo’s Pecco Bagnaia from the MotoGP Championship after a dramatic Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

A lightning start and race-long battle with Gresini’s Enea Bastianini were rewarded with his seventh victory of the season as Monster Energy Yamaha Fabio Quartararo recovered from a disappointing Saturday to complete the podium in third.

As expected, a clean sweep saw the entirety of the premier class opt for medium front, soft rear Michelin tyres as the grid prepared for the 20-lap Malaysian battle. Prima Pramac’s Jorge Martin lined up on pole from Bastianini and Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez while title fighters Bagnaia, Aleix Espargaro and Quartararo sat deep in the mid pack in ninth, tenth and twelfth respectively.

Martin maintained control as the lights went out. Bagnaia storming through to second with Franky Morbidelli leading his Monster Energy teammate from fifth. The Suzuki Ecstar duo circulated seventh and eight before Joan Mir broke the Yamaha pairing ahead, Quartararo advancing to head the trio as the Italian faced a double long lap penalty for his FP3 misdemeanours.

Martin held a seven-tenth lead on lap two as Luca Marini pulled the Mooney VR46 into the pits following a technical issue on the start device - for his first retirement of the season. Bastianini just a quarter of a second adrift of his 2023 teammate with Marquez a second further behind.

Aleix Espargaro’s championship hopes faded as the Aprilia continued to fall down the standings, to 15th, with Ducati Lenovo’s Jack Miller and WithU Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow narrowly ahead. Maverick Viñales having a similarly difficult weekend on the RS-GP from 20th.

Quartararo advanced to fourth before Marquez briefly hit back. Both