In a dramatic MotoGP finale at the Sepang circuit, Francesco Bagnaia, the Italian rider aboard a Ducati Desmosedici GP22, secured top honors in the Malaysian Grand Prix. His victory, however, did not come unchallenged. France’s Fabio Quartararo, riding the Yamaha YZR M1, earned a place on the podium and kept the championship battle tightly open. Japan’s Ai Ogura, on a Kalex in Moto2, crashed on the final lap but managed to keep the chair of the standings interesting as he dropped to fourth behind Spaniard Augusto Fernández, also on a Kalex.
The narrative surrounding the race suggested that Bagnaia’s victory could crown the world champion if Quartararo faltered, yet Quartararo recovered from a 12th-place starting position to climb onto the podium, challenging the Italian in the standings and complicating the title race. The race narrative notes that Quartararo did not settle for a distant finish; instead, he converted a challenging start into strong momentum that made the final results closely contested. He did not, however, gain ground against all rivals and settled for a position just off the podium as Bagnaia navigated the course with composure.
No one doubted Jorge Martín’s pace at the start, but Bagnaia moved decisively, climbing seven spots—from ninth to second—by the end of the long straight and then pressing forward to eclipse several contenders, including Marc Márquez of Repsol Honda. The initial plan also included a clash with Enea Bastianini, Bagnaia’s Ducati teammate, as well as Quartararo’s efforts to bridge the gap. Like Bagnaia, Quartararo also managed a dramatic surge in the first laps, though Aleix Espargaró did not share in the late-acceleration success.
Martin’s early speed was fearsomely fast, and he topped the field in the official results, beating Bagnaia, Bastianini, and Márquez to set a blazing pace that matched the track record. Quartararo attempted to stay within range, but a crash by Martín on lap six altered the dynamics, allowing Bagnaia to seize the initiative and take the lead as the race progressed.
MotoGP standings after the Australian Grand Prix
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Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati – 258
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Fabio Quartararo – Yamaha – 235
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Aleix Espargaró – Aprilia – 212
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Enea Bastianini – Ducati – 211
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Jack Miller – Ducati – 189
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Brad Binder – KTM – 168
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Johann Zarco – Ducati – 166
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Alex Rins – Ducati – 148
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Miguel Oliveira – KTM – 138
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Jorge Martín – Ducati – 136