The biggest battle ever? The title fight continues as Bagnaia defeats Martin in the all-timer in Sepang

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) kept its World Championship hopes alive at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia. It was a sensational ride from #1, putting the hammer down after a breathtaking duel with Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in the opening rounds. Taking on Bagnaia, the #89 fought hard at the start of the Grand Prix before finishing second to cap off an incredible weekend at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit. It was a big day for the championship, with Martin’s lead now reduced to just 24 points as the title battle now enters the final round.

Behind them, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) secured the final spot on the podium on a crucial day ahead of ‘The Beast’, who moved one step closer as he continued his battle for third position in the championship. Bastianini took solid points on Sunday, finishing 10.484 seconds behind teammate Bagnaia in a Grand Prix that will be remembered for a long time.

Once the lights went out it was an incredible launch from Bagnaia, who charged into the lead at Turn 1 and pushed Martin into second place. However, a crash in Turn 2 involving Fabio Quartararo, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) would bring out the red flag.

The Grand Prix resumed, with Bagnaia claiming an incredible launch and catapulting into the lead heading into Turn 1. Martin moved into second position, with Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) battled for the podium positions in Round 1. Martin made his first move on the opening lap, with the Bagnaia reacting immediately as the title fight kicked into another gear.

Bagnaia and Martin continued to follow each other around the track, trading places and trading blows in the opening stages of a spectacular Malaysian GP. Tensions were high at the front as the front runner continued to switch hands at every opportunity, with just a few centimeters between them on the track. Paint was exchanged between the title rivals in the opening stages, with third-place Marc Marquez watching from behind.

It was a true spectacle, with the two title contenders putting on an incredible battle in front of the Malaysian crowd. Bagnaia put the hammer down on lap 5, clocking the fastest lap before extending his lead to almost a second. The pace was extremely hot, which would see Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) crashed into the tricky Turn 9 before Marc Marquez crashed later in the lap, crashing out of P3 at Turn 15.

Bastianini was now promoted to the podium places and provisionally promoted to third place in the championship. ‘The Beast’ had a consistent rhythm and led the way Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) on the track as the #73 continued to fend off Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) for P4.

Martin’s momentum began to build, with the championship leader closing in on Bagnaia in each sector, soon closing the gap to 1.5 seconds. However, the #89 made a crucial mistake at Turn 9, putting him a further eight-tenths behind. The tension was high in the final laps and staying focused was the question for Martin from Prima Pramac Racing.

Bagnaia remained unstoppable and crossed the line to win by 3.141 seconds on a crucial day as the 2024 MotoGP World Champion. The Italian’s win allows #TheRematch to continue after beating Martin in Malaysia. The #89 worked hard throughout the Grand Prix and had a 24-point lead after beating Bastianini, who finished on the podium in P3.

Alex Marquez finished fourth as the #73 continued to defend against Acosta in the closing stages of the Grand Prix. 1.469s separated the duo at the line as Quartararo heroically finished in the top six after a stunning drive from the Frenchman on the restart. The #20 was first Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammate Alex Rins while the #42 took eighth place.

The last places in the top 10 have been taken Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) as Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LRC) packed 11e. Marc Marquez races to 12ecapping off a strong recovery run with points like Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Morbidelli, and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) scored the last point on Sunday.

Jorge Martin, Francesco Bagnaia, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, Race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, Race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, Race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, Race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, Race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Francesco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, Race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, podium race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing MotoGP, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Jorge Martin, Prima Pramac Racing, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Francesco Bagnaia, Jorge Martin, Prima Pramac Racing, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

MotoGP, Race, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Jorge Martin, Prima Pramac Racing, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team, Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia

After Bagnaia kept his title hopes within reach this weekend, everything remains to be decided in the final! Make sure you stay tuned to motogp.com for the latest news on the final round of the season.

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