Francesco Bagnaia clinched victory in an exciting Malaysia MotoGP on Sunday, narrowly defeating championship chief Jorge Martin and pushing their title struggle to the season’s remaining weekend.
Spaniard Martin’s lead was lower to 24 factors after he completed second behind the Italian defending champion Bagnaia in a race that needed to be restarted, with a most of 37 factors remaining to be received within the remaining spherical in a fortnight’s time.
Enea Bastianini was a distant third to finish the rostrum behind the dominant entrance two, who battled wheel-to-wheel for the primary 4 laps earlier than Bagnaia was capable of open a niche which he held until the chequered flag.
“Honestly, Jorge was very aggressive,” mentioned Ducati rider Bagnaia after the lead was exchanged on a number of events within the opening skirmishes.
“But our pace was too good, and like always in the race, on Sunday, I can attack.”
Pramac Ducati’s Martin had prolonged his championship lead from 17 to 29 factors after he received Saturday’s dash and Bagnaia crashed his Ducati.
Bagnaia admitted his dash race kind had not been adequate this 12 months after taking his tenth grand prix win of 2024.
“We just need to understand why on Saturday I’m struggling more to do the same,” mentioned the 2022 and 2023 world champion.
“But it’s the 10th victory of the season. We are doing an incredible job.”
Martin is chasing his first world title and victory within the remaining dash will probably be sufficient to safe him the crown.
“Thanks to Pecco (Bagnaia), because he’s making this challenge more and more and more difficult,” mentioned Martin.
“You know, I wished to win. I wished to be within the lead. But, for positive, Pecco had one other technique. Completely understood his technique. He was fairly aggressive.
“I was also, and we were making a good show for the first few laps. But it was impossible to fight at the end. So we go to the final race.”
The season finale had been on account of happen in Valencia however was canceled Friday after lethal flooding in that a part of Spain.
‘It continues to be doable’
Organizers have been dashing to discover a new venue, with Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya rising Sunday as the popular alternative by groups and officers.
“Mathematically it is still possible but it is quite difficult,” mentioned Bagnaia, who received the MotoGP essential race in Barcelona in May from Martin, however crashed out within the dash.
“In Barcelona, something can occur. Like, I crashed within the dash race after I was main there, making an attempt to keep away from any errors and I nonetheless crashed.
“So, it will be tricky, the conditions will be more tough because it might be cold.”
A minute’s silence was held in Sepang earlier than Saturday’s dash to recollect the greater than 200 lifeless from the floods in Spain.
“I think it’s nice to make the final race at home, a lot of people will support us,” mentioned Martin.
“Today will not be an excellent day nonetheless for the Spanish in spite of everything that had occurred, so this podium is for them.
“I will try to win the championship, not for me but those people, for my team and for the people around me. They really deserve it.”
The race was red-flagged on the opening lap due to a horror crash involving Jack Miller, Brad Binder and Fabio Quartararo.
All three riders miraculously escaped any critical damage and the race restarted from the identical grid positions however decreased by one lap to 19 laps.
Source: www.dailysabah.com