MotoGP: Alex Marquez wins Sepang Sprint race
Ducati horsepower dominated again as Alex Marquez beat Jorge Martin and reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia to win the Malaysian Grand Prix sprint from fourth position on Saturday, as the title contenders dropped to second and third place, respectively.
Ducati’s Bagnaia, chasing his second world crown, had the first half of the sprint under control after starting from pole at the Sepang International Circuit, but the Italian was unable to hold off a late surge by Marquez.
Marquez took the checkered flag by over a second from Martin, whose second place has seen him chop two points out of Bagnaia’s standings lead to get it down to 11 ahead of Sunday’s grand prix.
Enea Bastianini took the fourth slot as Ducati bikes filled the first four places, with KTM’s South African rider Brad Binder being the best among the non-Ducati’s, finishing fifth.
Australian Jack Miller was sixth, while title-contender Marco Bezzecchi came in seventh.
Sepang Sprint Race Results
| POS | RIDER | NAT | TEAM | BEHIND |
| 1 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.000s |
| 2 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +1.589s |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +3.034s |
| 4 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +3.242s |
| 5 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +3.310s |
| 6 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +4.318s |
| 7 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +5.307s |
| 8 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +5.501s |
| 9 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +6.420s |
| 10 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +7.241s |
| 11 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +8.775s |
| 12 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +9.995s |
| 13 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +10.067s |
| 14 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +10.643s |
| 15 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +11.005s |
| 16 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +11.911s |
| 17 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +13.591s |
| 18 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +15.058s |
| 19 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +16.015s |
| 20 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +23.484s |
| 21 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +24.930s |
| 22 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Aruba.It Ducati (GP23) | +36.501s |
| 23 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +40.594s |
*Rookie.