Sepang Shake-Up: Márquez Wins, Bagnaia Retires Late
- Ramiza Donlic
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Ramiza Donlic
The sweltering heat of Sepang set the stage for another dramatic chapter in the 2025 MotoGP season. Under the Malaysian sun, Àlex Márquez delivered a commanding ride to claim victory, while Francesco Bagnaia´s title hopes took a major hit after a late technical failure robbed him of a podium finish.
Grand Prix Final Results:
1st. À. Márquez, BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP, 40:09.249
2nd. P. Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, + 2-676
3rd. J. Mir, Honda HRC Castrol, + 8.048
4th. F. Morbidelli, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, +8.580
5th. F. Quartararo, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, + 11.556
6th. F. Di Giannantonio, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, + 13.060
7th. E. Bastianini, Red Bull KTM Tech3, + 15.299
8th. L. Marini, Honda HRC Castrol, + 18.738
9th. B. Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, + 18.932
10th. A. Ogura, Trackhouse MotoGP Team, +19.256
11th. M. Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, +19.824
12th. J. Zarco, Castrol Honda LCR, + 22.234
13th. A. Rins, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, +23.509
14th. J. Miller, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, +25.201
15th. S. Chantra, Idemitsu Honda LCR, +34.110
16th. L. Savadori, Aprilia Racing, +36.115
17th. M. Pirro, Ducati Lenovo Team, +43.914
18th. A. Fernandez, Yamaha Factory Racing Team, + 47.060
19th. M. Oliveira, Prima Pramac, Yamaha MotoGP, +77.942
OUT- F. Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team, 18 laps
OUT- F. Aldeguer, BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP, 16 laps OUT- R. Fernandez, Trackhouse MotoGP Team, 11 laps OUT- P. Espargaro, Red Bull KTM Tech3, 4 laps
Sprint:
At the start of the sprint, Francesco Bagnaia got a clean launch from pole position and immediately established himself at the front of the pack. He quickly began to build a gap, with Àlex Márquez running second and Pedro Acosta emerging into third after initially trailing. By the end of the first lap Bagnaia already had a slight margin; by lap 2, it stretched to roughly 0.8 seconds and by lap 3, it was about 1.4 seconds.
As the race progressed, Bagnaia´s lead continued to grow. At the halfway mark of the ten-lap sprint he had pulled more than two seconds clear. Meanwhile, Márquez held second comfortably ahead of Acosta. As the final laps approached, Acosta´s pace began to drop, which allowed Fermin Aldeguer to close in and ultimately pass him with three lap remaining - though a tyre-pressure infringement was later found, resulting in Aldeguer receiving an 8-second penalty and dropping from 4th to 7th.
Bagnaia crossed the finish line to claim a dominant sprint win, marking a strong return to form. His margin over Márquez was 2.259 seconds. With Acosta promoted to third following Aldeguer´s penalty, he rounded out the podium.
Grand Prix:
Francesco Bagnaia started from pole position, with Àlex Márquez alongside him and Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo just behind. The Italian made a strong launch off the line, defending the lead into Turn 1, but Márquez wasted no time asserting pressure. In the opening lap, he dived past Acosta in Turn 4 to move into second place, setting up an early challenge for the lead.
On lap two, Márquez executed a decisive move on Bagnaia - again in Turn 4, taking command of the race. From there, the Gresini Ducati rider controlled proceedings with precision. He quickly built a one-second advantage and kept his rhythm steady, while Bagnaia and Acosta engaged in a close but clean fight for second place.
Acosta eventually found a way through on lap 13, as Bagnaia´s pace began to fade. The Italian´s choice of a medium front tire, while most rivals opted for the soft, appeared to cost him grip and consistency in the hot Malaysian conditions. Márquez, meanwhile, continued to extend his lead with calm authority at the front.
The race saw a key moment on lap 17 when Fermin Aldeguer crashed out of seventh place, but the main drama came a lap later. Bagnaia suddenly slowed down, glancing toward the rear of his Ducati before coasting to a stop and retiring with a technical failure. It was a devastating blow for the factory Ducati rider, who had looked set for a solid podium.
With Bagnaia out, Joan Mir inherited third place behind Márquez and Acosta. The Spaniard managed the closing laps smartly to secure his first podium in months. At the chequered flag, Márquez crossed the line 2.676 seconds ahead of Acosta. Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo rounded out the top five.
Further back, Enea Bastianini produced one of the standout rides of the day, climbing from 19th on the grid to finish seventh.
After the race, Márquez praised his team´s execution, calling it a "perfect race" and emphasizing the importance of aggression in the opening laps. Acosta acknowledged Márquez´s superior speed, admitting frustration with his own rear-grip issues in the final corners. Mir, meanwhile, highlighted the reward of persistence, saying that "never giving up" had finally paid off.
The Malaysian Grand Prix once again showed how quickly fortunes can shift in MotoGP. Márquez´s win tightened the fight for the top five, while Bagnaia´s DNF reignited the battle for third in the standings - now led by Marco Bezzecchi by just five points.
