Francesco Pecco Bagnaia was back to his brilliant best at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia, conquering both pole position and the Tissot Sprint with characteristic precision and pace. The reigning double World Champion (Ducati Lenovo Team) was untouchable in Sepang’s heat, powering to a commanding 2.2-second victory over Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP).
That result not only marked Bagnaia’s emphatic return to form but also confirmed Márquez as the 2025 MotoGP silver medallist, ensuring a historic 1–2 championship finish for the Márquez brothers. It was a proud day for the Gresini squad, who had even more to celebrate: Fermín Aldeguer’s third-place finish — despite a post-race tyre pressure penalty — officially sealed his status as the 2025 MotoGP Rookie of the Year.
Bagnaia Nails the Launch and Controls the Chaos
From the moment the lights went out, Bagnaia was flawless. Launching cleanly from pole, he stormed into the holeshot while chaos brewed behind him. Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) exploded off the line to snatch an early third, while Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) struggled to get his Ducati off the grid cleanly but quickly fought back to P4 by the end of the opening lap — even going wheel-to-wheel with former teammate Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).
Further back, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Aldeguer treated fans to an explosive opening-lap scrap, trading paint through the middle sectors before the 2020 World Champion found his rhythm to secure P4 at the line of Lap 1.
Mir’s Challenge Ends in Heartbreak
By Lap 3, Bagnaia had opened up a commanding one-second lead over Alex Márquez and Acosta. Mir, just half a second off the podium, looked poised to join the fight — but Bagnaia was simply in another league. The Ducati rider was half a second quicker per lap than anyone else, stretching his advantage to nearly two seconds as the Spaniards behind him battled for the minor placings.
Then came disaster for Mir. The Honda rider’s Sprint hopes evaporated at Turn 9 when he lost the front end and slid out of podium contention. The crash handed fourth to Aldeguer, who wasted no time setting his sights on Acosta ahead.
Aldeguer’s Charge and the Fight for Bronze
Once freed from Mir, Aldeguer was relentless. Lapping over half a second faster than Acosta across Laps 6 and 7, the 19-year-old rookie from Murcia closed the gap with clinical precision. With three laps remaining, the inevitable came — a textbook overtake at Turn 9. Clean, confident, and controlled, Aldeguer slipped past the KTM rider to move into third, triggering celebrations in the Gresini garage.
Elsewhere, Honda’s promising day took a sharp downturn. Luca Marini’s strong run ended in his first crash of the season after a failed attempt to dive inside Pol Espargaró (Red Bull KTM Tech3) at Turn 14. Both riders lost valuable positions, Espargaró falling outside the top nine as a result.
Aldeguer had little time left to close down his teammate for second, but his effort was already enough to underline his incredible rookie credentials.
Bagnaia Perfect, Gresini Celebrate Double Milestone
At the front, Bagnaia’s dominance was absolute. Calm, smooth, and surgically precise, the #63 Ducati rider completed a perfect Saturday — pole to victory — delivering an unchallenged win and a vital morale boost ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Behind him, the Gresini garage erupted. Alex Márquez’s second place confirmed him as the 2025 MotoGP runner-up, creating a historic Márquez 1–2 in the championship standings — the first time two brothers have ever achieved that feat at premier class level.
Aldeguer’s P3, later converted to P4 after a post-race tyre pressure penalty, was still enough to lock in the Rookie of the Year crown. “It’s been a season of nerves, learning, and reward,” the young Spaniard said afterwards, smiling despite the penalty. “To do it with Gresini in my first year — that’s something special.”
Saturday’s Points Finishers
Despite Aldeguer’s penalty, Acosta inherited third place to secure another strong result for KTM, finishing 1.3 seconds clear of Morbidelli in P5. Quartararo rounded out the top five after a spirited ride, while Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) finished as the leading RS-GP in sixth.
Aldeguer’s time penalty dropped him to seventh, ahead of Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who rounded out the points-scoring positions in eighth and ninth respectively.
With that, the title battle remains razor-tight — Bezzecchi and Bagnaia now level on points as the series heads into the final rounds.
Sunday Awaits: Grand Prix Showdown in Sepang
The Sprint may have belonged to Bagnaia, but Sunday’s full-length Grand Prix promises to be another thriller. With Márquez secure in silver, Aldeguer crowned top rookie, and the championship battle still delicately poised, all eyes now turn to the Sepang main event.
Don’t miss the Grand Prix of Malaysia tomorrow at 15:00 local time (UTC +8) — where strategy, stamina, and a touch of rain could once again turn the script upside down.
Saturday Highlights: The Key Storylines
- Bagnaia back to his best: Pecco delivers a masterclass from pole to flag and praises Ducati’s “perfect” setup for the Sprint.
- Historic Márquez milestone: Alex Márquez officially seals the 2025 silver medal, completing a first-ever Márquez family 1–2 in MotoGP history.
- Aldeguer’s breakout year: The Spanish sensation claims Rookie of the Year honours and reflects on a “nervous but unforgettable” debut season.
Moto2: Holgado Flies to Pole as González and Moreira Clash
Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO RCB Aspar Team) set the Sepang crowd alight with a stunning new lap record — a 2:02.858 — to secure Moto2 pole by over half a second. The rookie was on another level, while championship rivals Manuel González (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) traded barbs and positions during a tense Q2 session.
Early on, Moreira made an aggressive Turn 1 move that forced González wide, but the Spaniard responded with a bold dive at Turn 2 to reclaim track position. Their on-track rivalry boiled through to the final minutes, with González ending seventh and Moreira only 16th after a late mistake.
The front row will see Holgado joined by Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) and Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo), while David Alonso lines up fourth. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing), third overall in the standings, will start from eighth.
Holgado now looks poised to complete a dream weekend by sealing Rookie of the Year honours on Sunday.
Moto3: Almansa Rockets to Pole as Furusato Pushes to the Limit
David Almansa (Leopard Racing) saved his best for last, delivering a blistering final lap to secure his second pole of 2025 at Sepang. Still searching for his maiden Grand Prix podium, the Spaniard edged Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) by mere hundredths, with newly crowned World Champion José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the front row.
LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP teammates Guido Pini and Brian Uriarte filled out Row 2 alongside Álvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), while Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) led Row 3 after a strong Q1 performance.
Elsewhere, Ángel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) suffered a Turn 4 fall but remounted to qualify ninth, while Australian Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) will start from P11. Malaysian wildcard Hakim Danish (AEON CREDIT SIC Racing MSI) impressed the home fans by securing P14 on debut.
Up Next
All eyes now turn to Sunday’s Grand Prix races across all classes — with titles, milestones, and pride still on the line under the Malaysian sun.
