The MotoGP World Championship continues to get very hot, in which Àlex Márquez became the protagonist of Saturday in Malaysia. The man from Cervera achieved his second victory in a Sprint, by winning with authority over Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia, without caring about the fight for the title between the Madrid native and the Italian. Àlex broke a streak of five consecutive wins for Martín in the Sprint.
With this result, Martín cuts 2 more points from the champion, from 13 to 11 behind. “It was an incredible race, with a very high pace, I made a bad start and recovered positions. In the end, I was not able to achieve victory but with second place I cut points from my main opponent,” said the man from Madrid, very encouraged because it puts more pressure on the champion.
The duel could not be hotter at the start in the Malaysian Sprint: Pecco Bagnaia on pole with Jorge Martín to his right in the grid formation. Separated by only 13 points, they were playing for the lead, with three races remaining.
The Madrid native went badly, falling behind to fourth position. Bagnaia conquered the right curve first, but was soon overtaken by his teammate Bastianini and Àlex Márquez from the fourth paint. Although the champion imposed his stripes to regain the lead before the end of the first lap, followed by Cervera and Martín, third.
The short race was livened up on the third lap with an impetuous Àlex Márquez who tried to overtake Bagnaia, went wide and momentarily lost position with Martín, with whom he had a risky duel, including friction. The man from Madrid did not take any chances and finished third.
Meanwhile, in the peloton, Marc Márquez crashed at turn 14 when he was 13th. It was his 27th fall of the season, tying his record.
Àlex Márquez returned to the fray looking to tickle Bagnaia on lap 6/10, putting the wheel of his Gresini in. The Catalan bravely overtook the Italian, and as stunned as the leader was, Martín also approached and overtook Bagnaia to take second place. The duel was getting very heated, with four laps to go.
Àlex soon gained a lead of one second over Martín, who in turn distanced himself with 5 tenths of safety to tie second place, while Bagnaia saw the third position held by his teammate Bastianini in danger. In the official Ducati garage they did not like that race photograph.
The last lap of the Sprint arrived with Márquez in the lead with 1.1 seconds ahead of Martín, and he with 1.4 over Bagnaia, with the positions very stabilized. Although Bastianini was hot on the heels of his teammate, like Binder, who came very strong from fifth place. Nothing changed in the last corners.
Second victory for Àlex Márquez's Sprint, which broke a streak of five consecutive wins for Martín on Saturdays, and third position for Bagnaia, who gives up two points to the Madrid native, now at 11 points.
