Francesco Bagnaia of the Ducati Lenovo Team kept his 2024 World Championship hopes alive with a thrilling victory at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2024, overtaking Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in a gripping showdown.
Bagnaia’s win, secured by a margin of 3.141 seconds, slashed Martin’s lead to just 24 points, setting up a dramatic showdown for the season’s final race.
The race began with high-octane action. Bagnaia took the lead at Turn 1 before a multi-rider crash involving Fabio Quartararo, Brad Binder, and Jack Miller brought out the red flag. In the restart, Bagnaia once again seized the lead with Martin in hot pursuit, trading positions as the title rivals pushed each other to the limit. Their close battle, mere inches apart, ignited the Malaysian crowd, with Ducati’s Bagnaia ultimately clocking the fastest lap and extending his gap by a crucial one-second margin.
The race took a further twist as Marc Marquez, who had been watching the leaders from third, crashed at Turn 15, opening the door for Enea Bastianini to secure the final podium spot. Bastianini’s steady ride allowed him to move closer to a top-three season finish, placing him provisionally third in the standings. Meanwhile, Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing MotoGP™ held off Pedro Acosta to finish fourth, while Quartararo stormed up to sixth following the restart, showcasing an impressive comeback.
As Martin pushed to close in on Bagnaia in the final laps, a costly mistake at Turn 9 widened the gap, allowing Bagnaia to cross the finish line unchallenged. His victory not only tightened the title race but also marked a strong defense against a relentless Martin, who secured second with Bastianini completing the podium.
In the closing positions, Alex Marquez held fourth, followed by Acosta. Quartararo’s top-six finish stood out as a highlight, overcoming adversity to place ahead of Maverick Viñales and Alex Rins. Marco Bezzecchi and Augusto Fernandez rounded out the top ten, while Johann Zarco took 11th.
The championship race is now on a razor’s edge, with all eyes on the final round. Follow the latest updates on MotoGP™ as Bagnaia and Martin prepare to battle it out for the ultimate prize.
Top 10 Finishers:
- Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
- Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) +3.141
- Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) +10.484
- Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) +12.230
- Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) +13.699
- Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +16.245
- Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) +19.447
- Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +20.611
- Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) +21.994
- Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) +22.174
Credit Photo : MotoGP
