MotoGP – Bagnaia achieves a championship victory in Sepang

In the most decisive weekend of his career, Pecco Bagnaia did not get the tremor that gripped him on previous occasions and starred in a perfect race , one of those that have it all: an anthological start – he went from ninth place to second –, a good dose of control and moments of genius, especially in the give and take he had with Enea Bastianini, a corcón like few others, someone who does not listen to team orders to the despair of Ducati.

Despite having his future teammate close to the hump, Bagnaia’s pulse did not shake and he certified a victory, the seventh this year for him, which leaves him one step away from his first MotoGP crown , and the first for Ducati since Casey Stoner’s, in 2007.

Fabio Quartararo’s third place poses the best scenario for the outcome of the World Cup, in two weeks’ time in Cheste, where it is enough for the Turin native to cross the finish line in 14th , regardless of whether Quartararo wins the race.

This triumph, moreover, is the 12th for Ducati in 2022 , a figure that represents the absolute record for the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.

Fourth place went to Marco Bezzecchi, who bothered the Devil for a long time but without being able to tie him up short, while Alex Rins finished fifth. Jack Miller was sixth, eight tenths ahead of Marc Márquez (seventh), who was never able to replicate the turning rate of the first two, and who formed a little train behind him during the first third of the race.

Brad Binder finished the eighth; Johann Zarco did it ninth and a surprising Franco Morbidelli did it tenth, despite serving the two long lap penalties that he had carried since Saturday. In this sense, it is worth highlighting the overtaking maneuver that allowed the Roman to close the top ten, in which he relied on Aleix Espargaró (eleventh) and which is currently being investigated by members of the Race Direction.

Jorge Martín went down on the seventh lap and when he was leading the peloton with more than a second ahead of his closest pursuer (Bagnaia), the same fate followed by Joan Mir (lap 18).

MotoGP race results at the Malaysian GP (Sepang)

Cla	#	Pilot		Motorcycle	Weather	Difference	Points
1	63	Pecco Bagnaia		Ducati	–		25
2	23	Enea Bastianini		Ducati	0.270	0.270	20
3	20	Fabio Quartararo		Yamaha	2,773	2,773	16
4	72	Marco Bezzecchi		Ducati	5,446	5,446	13
5	42	Alex Rins		Suzuki	11.923	11.923	11
6	43	Jack Miller		Ducati	13,472	13,472	10
7	93	Marc Márquez		Sling	14,304	14,304	9
8	33	Brad Binder		KTM	16.805	16.805	8
9	5	Johann Zarco		Ducati	18,358	18,358	7
10	41	Aleix Espargaró		April	21,591	21,591	5
see results