Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) delivered a masterclass performance at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2025, storming to Sprint victory from pole position to announce his return to form in style.
The reigning double MotoGP World Champion crossed the line 2.2 seconds ahead of Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), with the result officially securing second place in the World Championship for the Spaniard — completing a historic Marquez brothers’ 1-2 finish in the overall standings.
Adding to Gresini’s celebrations, Fermin Aldeguer crossed the line in third to claim the 2025 MotoGP Rookie of the Year title. Although a post-race tyre pressure penalty later demoted him in the official results, it didn’t change the fact that the young Spaniard had sealed his place as this season’s breakout star.
Bagnaia launched flawlessly from pole and immediately stamped his authority on the Sprint, pulling clear within the opening laps. Behind him, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) surged into P3 off the line, while Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) locked horns in a fierce midfield battle.
Meanwhile, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) showed flashes of his 2020 World Champion brilliance before crashing out of podium contention at Turn 9. That incident left Aldeguer free to chase down Acosta for the final podium place — and with just three laps remaining, the #54 made his move.
Aldeguer’s aggressive but calculated pass on Acosta at Turn 9 earned him third across the line and sealed his rookie crown. It was a dream day for Gresini Racing, with Alex Marquez taking second and confirming the Marquez family double — the first time in MotoGP history that both brothers have finished top two in the championship.
“Winning here feels amazing, especially after such a tough few weekends,” Bagnaia said.
“The bike was perfect, and I was in control from the start. It’s great to see the Marquez brothers making history too — today’s Sprint really shows what MotoGP is all about.”
There was heartbreak for Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), who suffered his first crash of the season after contact with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3), ending what had looked like a strong Saturday for Honda.
After Aldeguer’s penalty, Acosta was promoted to the podium in third, finishing 1.3 seconds ahead of Morbidelli, while Quartararo rounded out the top five. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) led the RS-GP contingent in sixth — drawing level with Bagnaia in the overall standings. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) completed the points-paying positions in eighth and ninth respectively.
Credit Photo : MotoGP
