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Marquez finished the Malaysian MotoGP Sprint race as the runner-up to seal the second position in the world championship behind brother Marc.
MotoGp racer Alex Marquez (X)
Francesco Bagnaia delivered a commanding performance to win the Malaysian MotoGP sprint on Saturday, while Alex Marquez finished as the runner-up, securing second place in the world championship behind his brother Marc.
Ducati’s Bagnaia led the race from pole position, crossing the finish line in 19 minutes and 53.725 seconds at Sepang. Marquez followed 2.259 seconds later, resulting in a historic family one-two in the driver standings.
The 29-year-old Ducati-Gresini rider described the achievement as a “perfect year” for the Marquez family.
“We cannot ask for anything more,” he said. “We were on the podium many times in first and second, and we need to enjoy it because it’s a unique moment in our lives. I spoke to Marc briefly and told him we need to celebrate and have a big party together.”
Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez was absent from the race due to an injury and will miss the rest of the season after suffering a collarbone injury in Indonesia this month.
Fermin Aldeguer finished third, followed by Pedro Acosta and Franco Morbidelli in the top five.
Two-time world champion Bagnaia, who secured pole position for the third consecutive year at Sepang, had a smooth start and led the race from start to finish.
Marquez was close behind but had to fight hard to regain second place after briefly dropping to third.
As the rest of the field battled for position, Bagnaia remained in a class of his own, securing victory over the 10 laps.
Bagnaia’s triumph was a redemption for last year’s sprint heartbreak when he crashed after setting a lap record in qualifying.
The 28-year-old Ducati ace, now third in the world championship standings, paid tribute to his team.
“The team deserves the victory for the hard work they are doing. Honestly, I am just here to push. When I am feeling good, I have races like this. When I’m not performing well, I’m just screaming in the garage,” said Bagnaia.
The main race is on Sunday, with Bagnaia starting from pole.
(With Inputs Form AFP)
October 25, 2025, 3:48 PM IST
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