Five different victors in the last five Grands Prix — and two new names joining the winners’ club in consecutive rounds — have thrown MotoGP’s 2025 season wide open heading into Malaysia.
The final stop on the long flyaway run brings us to the heat and humidity of Sepang International Circuit for the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia, swapping the brisk winds of Phillip Island for tropical air thick with expectation. With the championship already decided, attention now turns to the battle for second — and perhaps one last twist in this unpredictable campaign.
After seven unique winners already this year, fans are asking the obvious question: could we see an eighth? Judging by the form book, the odds say yes.
State of Play: Unpredictable to the End
The MotoGP paddock has rarely looked so open. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) are all sidelined through injury, replaced by Michele Pirro, Lorenzo Savadori, and Pol Espargaro respectively. Their absence adds another layer of uncertainty to a season already defined by surprises.
The title fight may be settled — with Marquez securing Ducati’s long-awaited crown — but there’s still a Marquez 1-2on the table. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) holds the inside line for runner-up honors and could clinch it as early as Saturday’s Sprint. The Spaniard’s Sepang form suggests he’s capable of doing just that.
Behind him, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) remains his closest challenger, just ahead of Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). Bezzecchi’s consistency has been remarkable, though his last Sunday victory dates back to Silverstone. With five different winners from the past five races, the Italian will be desperate to add his name to that list before the curtain falls.
The Fight for Fourth: Bagnaia, Acosta, and Di Giannantonio
For Bagnaia, the reigning champion, the last two rounds have been uncharacteristically difficult. But Sepang has always been a happy hunting ground: wins in 2022 and 2024, a podium in 2023, and his Moto2 title-clinching ride in 2018all underline his connection to this circuit.
He’ll be looking to bounce back — though standing in his way is the relentless rookie sensation, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The Spaniard continues to impress with maturity beyond his years, grabbing a Sprint podium and P5 in Australia, and now sits just 41 points behind Bagnaia.
Seventeen points further back is Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), whose podium at Phillip Island reignited his top-five ambitions. Having missed last year’s Malaysian GP and carrying injuries from pre-season testing at Sepang, the Italian has personal motivation to make amends this weekend.
The New Wave: Fresh Faces, New Winners
MotoGP’s youth movement has truly arrived. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) both joined the elite ranks of Grand Prix winners in Indonesia and Australia respectively, marking a generational shift.
Aldeguer, who won at Sepang in Moto2 just two years ago, endured a tougher outing at Phillip Island but remains a podium threat. Fernandez, meanwhile, is riding high on confidence: two Sprint podiums and a Grand Prix victory in the last two rounds have vaulted him into the top ten overall.
Splitting them in the standings is Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who returns to a track that traditionally favors Yamaha. Pre-season testing hinted at strong pace here, and the Frenchman will be eager to reclaim ground lost to MotoGP’s new blood.
Dark Horses and Rising Form
There’s plenty of optimism deeper in the field too. All four KTM riders cracked the top ten last time out — a sign that the Austrian brand’s improvements are paying off. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) both have the potential to disrupt the front group. Bastianini, last year’s Malaysian GP winner, scored podiums in both the Sprint and the main race in 2024, and will be eyeing a repeat performance.
Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) is enjoying a quiet resurgence, securing back-to-back top six results and now sits just eight points shy of being top Honda in the championship. Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) is also on a roll, with two consecutive top-ten finishes and memories of a strong Sepang performance in 2024 fueling his charge.
Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory Racing) joins them in the hunt for solid points as he continues development duties for Yamaha’s revised YZR-M1 project.
Bouncing Back: Three Rounds, Plenty to Prove
Not everyone left Australia satisfied. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) endured a rough weekend and now trails Acosta by 25 points in the fight for fifth. Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) dropped outside the top ten in the standings after his Phillip Island crash, while Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP) will aim to build on his first Sunday points since Barcelona.
For Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha), Australia was bittersweet — a strong Sprint followed by a Sunday crash. Teammate Miguel Oliveira, however, extended his streak of points finishes to six, and the Portuguese rider will look to make it seven — something he last achieved back in 2022. Oliveira, notably, is also a former Moto2 winner at Sepang (2017).
Rounding out the grid, Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu LCR Honda) races on home turf of sorts, having scored back-to-back top tens in previous Moto2 appearances here.
Another unpredictable weekend looms, and the script remains unwritten — could Sepang produce a record-breaking eighth different winner of 2025? We’re about to find out.
Moto2: Two Points, Three Races — Gonzalez vs. Moreira
The Moto2 World Championship could hardly be tighter. Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) arrive in Malaysia separated by just two points after a tense Australian GP showdown.
Moreira’s podium and Gonzalez’s seventh place have set up a thrilling final act. With three rounds remaining, the title race is finely balanced — and neither rider can afford a single misstep. Behind them, Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing), and Jake Dixon (Elf Marc VDS) all cling to mathematical chances, sitting 35, 42, and 57 points adrift respectively.
Momentum favors Moreira, but Gonzalez has proven his resilience before. After a DSQ and a tough run of results, the Spaniard needs a statement ride at Sepang to keep his title hopes alive.
Meanwhile, last week’s Australian GP saw Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) deliver a stunning home victory. If the young Australian maintains that form, he could yet be a podium regular before the season ends. David Alonso (CFMOTO RCB Aspar Team), the reigning Moto3 World Champion, continues to impress too — his third podium of the season showing he’s adapting quickly to the intermediate class.
Just two points separate the top two, with three races left. The gloves are off — the Moto2 title race is now officially on the boil.
Moto3: Rueda Chases More History as the Runner-Up Battle Heats Up
Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) heads to Malaysia in record-breaking form. His victory at Phillip Island was his tenth of the season, placing him among Moto3’s all-time greats. While the title is already his, the fight for second in the standings has become the new headline act.
Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar) are separated by just three points heading into Sepang. Quiles also has a chance to lock down the Rookie of the Year award — but only if he can finish the weekend fewer than 50 points behind Rueda. The current gap? 55, meaning the battle remains wide open.
Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) returned to form with his first podium since Mugello, while Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA), boosted by his home rostrum, will aim to carry that energy to Malaysia. Last year’s Malaysian GP silver medallist Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) also returns as a strong local favorite.
Adding extra excitement for Malaysian fans, Hakim Danish (AEON Credit SIC Racing MSI) makes his Grand Prix debut, fresh off a third-place finish in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
From record chasers to rising stars, the Moto3 grid promises fireworks — and the home crowd will have plenty to cheer when the lights go out at Sepang International Circuit.
