The #73 claims his first overseas MotoGP™ win, Acosta dazzles once again with a brilliant P2, and late heartbreak for Bagnaia gifts Honda and Joan Mir a return to the rostrum.
Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) capped off a sensational weekend at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia with a commanding victory in Sunday’s full-length MotoGP™ race. Less than 24 hours after sealing second place in the overall World Championship standings, the Spaniard delivered a flawless performance under the Sepang heat — leading home an inspired Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), who snatched third after late heartbreak struck Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).
It was a clinical, confident ride from Márquez — one that underlined just how far he’s come in 2025 — as he mastered both tyre management and race tempo in a Grand Prix that swung dramatically in its closing stages.
Lightning Start: Bagnaia Leads, Márquez Strikes Back Early
Off the line, it was textbook Bagnaia. The reigning World Champion exploded from pole to grab the holeshot into Turn 1, with rookie sensation Acosta diving into second ahead of Márquez. But the Spaniard from Cervera wasted no time making his intentions clear. At Turn 4, Márquez lunged decisively past Acosta, and by the end of the next lap, he had executed a perfectly timed move up the inside of Bagnaia to seize control of the race.
For the first time all weekend, the #63 Ducati wasn’t dictating the pace. Márquez began to pull clear almost immediately, stretching a half-second gap while Acosta and Bagnaia locked horns behind him.
Bagnaia vs. Acosta: A Battle Worthy of the Headlines
The duel between the experienced Italian and the fearless young Spaniard was pure theatre. On Lap 3, Acosta dived under Bagnaia at Turn 4, only for Pecco to hit straight back at Turn 5. The rookie tried again into Turn 9 — same move, same outcome. Their fight was fierce but respectful, and as they swapped apexes, Márquez took full advantage, extending his lead to nearly a second.
Behind them, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Joan Mir were in close formation, battling for P4. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) shadowed the pair, while Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) struggled to find his rhythm further back in the pack.
By Lap 10, Mir finally made his move on Quartararo, overtaking the Yamaha man and setting his sights on the front group. His gap to the podium fight stood at 2.7 seconds, but with clear air ahead, the HRC rider began to find pace in the second half of the race. Tyre wear was now the deciding factor.
Mid-Race Mayhem: Crashes, Tire Choices, and Marquez’s Control
The race took a chaotic turn soon after. Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) slid out of contention, followed seconds later by Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), the Australian GP winner crashing at Turn 1. Up front, Márquez was on rails — consistently lapping half a second faster than Bagnaia and Acosta, who began to show signs of tyre fatigue.
Then, on Lap 11, Acosta finally found a way through. His move at Turn 11 was inch-perfect, promoting the 20-year-old to second place as Bagnaia’s Ducati started to squirm under braking. His medium front compound now seemed the wrong call under Sepang’s punishing temperatures.
Márquez, meanwhile, was untouchable. A blistering 2:00.546 lap — nearly a full second faster than Bagnaia — all but sealed his advantage. Mir, now in P4 and lapping in the 2:00s himself, began to smell blood, with Morbidelli also creeping into contention in P5.
Late Twist: Bagnaia’s Race Unravels, Mir Inherits Podium
As the laps ticked down, Bagnaia briefly stabilized the gap to Mir, maintaining a 1.9-second buffer with four laps to go. Acosta, two and a half seconds adrift of Márquez, looked set for another mature podium finish, needing a mistake from the leader to have any real shot at victory.
But with just three laps remaining, disaster struck for Ducati. Approaching Turn 1, Bagnaia suddenly sat up mid-corner, glancing down at the rear of his machine. A technical issue — later suspected to be a puncture or gearbox malfunction — ended his race on the spot. It was a crushing blow for Pecco after such a strong weekend, but an unexpected lifeline for Honda and Mir, who moved into third.
On the same lap, Gresini’s Aldeguer also crashed out at the final corner, compounding the team’s mixed emotions despite Márquez’s dominant display.
A Flawless Finish: Márquez Masterclass in Malaysia
By the start of the final lap, Márquez was 2.8 seconds clear of Acosta, who himself enjoyed a comfortable cushion back to Mir. The trio held station to the flag. Márquez crossed the line with both arms aloft — his first MotoGP™ victory outside Spain and arguably one of the most complete performances of his premier-class career.
Acosta took second, continuing his stellar rookie campaign, finishing an astonishing 13 seconds ahead of the next KTM. Mir completed the podium — a fitting reward for his persistence and HRC’s hard graft after a Sprint DNF the day before.
The Rest of the Points Finishers
Franco Morbidelli capped an impressive weekend with fourth place, showing strong late-race pace to edge past Quartararo, who came home fifth after a close call at Turn 15 when Morbidelli forced his way through.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) claimed sixth, while Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) stormed from 19th on the grid to seventh — a phenomenal recovery ride from “The Beast.” Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) completed the top ten.
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) could only manage 11th, ahead of Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), and Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR), who took the final championship point.
Despite Bagnaia’s DNF, the Italian still sits within striking distance of third overall — his misfortune allowing Bezzecchi to regain P3 in the standings by just five points.
Looking Ahead: All Eyes on Portimão
With Márquez now locked into second place in the 2025 standings, attention turns to the battle for third between Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, and the fast-closing Acosta — now only 31 points off Bezzecchi heading into the penultimate round in Portugal.
The Algarve International Circuit promises high drama and perhaps one final twist in a season that’s delivered storylines aplenty. If Sepang proved anything, it’s that the 2025 MotoGP™ grid remains as unpredictable as ever.
Sunday Highlights:
- Alex Márquez executes perfect race plan for a commanding win.
- Pedro Acosta shines again with mature second place, hailing “a great fight with Pecco.”
- Joan Mir returns Honda to the podium with a faultless recovery ride.
- Francesco Bagnaia suffers cruel late DNF from podium contention.
