The Italian gained the penultimate MotoGP in Sepang to drive a closing spherical showdown for the championship with Jorge Martin on November 17.
Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia saved his MotoGP title defence alive with a victory on the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang, reducing Jorge Martin’s lead within the driver’s standings all the way down to 24 factors earlier than the season’s closing race.
Pramac Racing’s Martin’s second-placed end in Sepang moved him as much as 485 factors within the general standings, whereas Bagnaia is second on 461. Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini completed third in Sunday’s race, over seven seconds behind Martin.
After a chaotic begin, the race on the Sepang Worldwide Circuit was restarted for 19 laps below darkish clouds and in sweltering circumstances.
Polesitter Bagnaia had a clear begin off the road and saved the lead heading into the primary flip.
In an exciting first three laps, Bagnaia and Martin threw warning to the wind and went toe-to-toe on each flip because the lead repeatedly swapped fingers between the 2 title rivals.
Bagnaia, who had pledged on Saturday to go all out within the race, was in a position to lastly put some area between him and Martin within the fourth lap, a bonus he wouldn’t relinquish.
The win additionally helped Bagnaia restrict a number of the injury from his crash within the dash on Saturday.
“Managing the heat was the easiest part today, honestly,” mentioned Bagnaia, whose victory was his tenth of the season.
“Jorge was very aggressive. However our tempo was too good and like at all times within the race on Sunday I can assault, I could be extra aggressive.
“We just need to understand why on Saturday I’m struggling more to do the same.”
Martin could have future in his personal fingers on the November 15-17 closing spherical, which might be held in Barcelona on the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona after the Valencia Grand Prix was cancelled as a consequence of catastrophic flooding within the area final week.
Earlier on Sunday, the race was red-flagged after Purple Bull KTM’s Jack Miller went down on flip two of the opening laps and crashed into Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and teammate Brad Binder.
Australian Miller acquired medical consideration on the observe and was acutely aware when taken to the medical centre for an examination.
