Malaysian MotoGP, Sepang - Race Results

*Rookie.

Enea Bastianini dominates the 2023 Malaysian MotoGP to take a surprise first victory in factory Ducati colours, at Sepang.

Sprint winner Alex Marquez likewise held the runner-up spot for all but the opening corners, with Bastianini’s team-mate Francesco Bagnaia comfortably keeping title rival Jorge Martin at bay for third.

Injured twice this season and off-pace in between, it was Bastianini's first win since Sepang last year while Bagnaia now takes an enlarged 14-point lead over Martin into the penultimate round in Qatar next weekend.

After some opening lap tussles, the top four of Bastianini, Marquez, Bagnaia and Martin spent much of the race equally spaced, presumably in tyre conservation mode and perhaps wary of overheating if following too closely.

Early attempts by Martin to pass Bagnaia (at turn 14 on lap 3 and turn 4 on lap 4) were firmly rebuffed by Bagnaia on corner exit and the leading quartet then held position to the chequered flag.

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Marco Bezzecchi was caught and passed by Fabio Quartararo to be best of the rest in fifth with Franco Morbidelli, Jack Miller, Fabio di Giannantonio Luca Marini completing the top ten.

Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro suffered his fifth and final fall of a punishing weekend, joining RNF RS-GP riders Miguel Oliveira (crash) and Raul Fernandez (technical issue) on the DNF list.

Joan Mir was the first faller in the race, clocking up the 50th accident for the Repsol Honda team this season. Team-mate Marc Marquez was the top RC213V over the finish line in 13th.

KTM’s Brad Binder and LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami also crashed.

Reigning WorldSBK champion Alvaro Bautista was again unable to make an impression and finished 17th as a wild-card.

Birthday boy Marco Bezzecchi is now mathematically out of the MotoGP title fight, which will either be won by Bagnaia or Martin.