The Italian won the penultimate MotoGP in Sepang to force a final round showdown for the championship with Jorge Martin on November 17.
Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia successfully maintained his MotoGP title defense with a victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix held in Sepang, reducing Jorge Martin’s lead in the championship standings to 24 points ahead of the season finale.
Pramac Racing’s Martin secured second place in Sepang, elevating his total points to 485, while Bagnaia follows closely in second with 461 points. Bagnaia’s teammate, Enea Bastianini, finished third in the race, trailing Martin by over seven seconds. Following a tumultuous start, the race at the Sepang International Circuit was restarted for 19 laps amid overcast skies and oppressive heat.
Bagnaia, who started from pole position, executed a flawless launch and maintained his lead as they approached the first turn.
In an exhilarating opening three laps, Bagnaia and Martin engaged in a fierce battle, exchanging the lead at nearly every corner as they vied for supremacy. Bagnaia, who had committed to a full-throttle approach on Saturday, managed to create a gap between himself and Martin by the fourth lap, a lead he would not surrender. This victory also allowed Bagnaia to mitigate the repercussions of his crash during Saturday’s sprint.
“Managing the heat was honestly the easiest part today,” remarked Bagnaia, marking his tenth win of the season.
“Jorge was very aggressive. However, our pace was exceptional, and as is customary on Sundays, I can be more aggressive and attack.
“We simply need to analyze why I face more challenges on Saturdays.”
Martin will control his own fate during the final round scheduled for November 15-17, which will take place in Barcelona at the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona, following the cancellation of the Valencia Grand Prix due to severe flooding in the area last week.
Earlier on Sunday, the race was halted after Jack Miller of Red Bull KTM fell on turn two during the early laps, colliding with Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and his teammate Brad Binder.
The Australian rider, Miller, received on-site medical assistance and was conscious when transported to the medical center for further evaluation. Leading the race is Francesco Bagnaia from the Ducati Lenovo Team, followed closely by Jorge Martin from Prima Pramac Racing during the MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit on November 3, 2024.
