SEPANG, Malaysia, Oct 26 (Reuters) – Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez clinched victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, finishing ahead of KTM’s Pedro Acosta and Honda’s Joan Mir. The win marked Marquez’s third triumph of the 2025 MotoGP season.
Riding in hot and humid conditions at the Sepang International Circuit, Marquez delivered a flawless performance. He had already secured the championship runner-up position with his sprint result on Saturday and added this victory to his earlier wins in Spain.
Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia, who started on pole and won Saturday’s sprint, was forced to retire three laps from the end due to a suspected mechanical problem. His exit allowed 2020 world champion Joan Mir to move up to third, claiming his second podium of the year.
Marquez led from the second lap and crossed the finish line 2.676 seconds ahead of Acosta and 8.048 seconds clear of Mir. World champion Marc Marquez, Alex’s elder brother, missed the race due to injury.
“My plan was to attack early today,” Alex Marquez said after the race. “Yesterday, I waited too long. This time, I decided to push from the start. I’m really happy with the result—it’s an important win for the team and for our second place overall.”
Twice MotoGP champion Bagnaia had moved ahead of Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi for third place in the world standings after Saturday’s sprint. However, his retirement on Sunday due to a possible rear-tyre puncture cost him valuable points. Bezzecchi regained third place in the championship, with only five points separating the two riders.
The next MotoGP round will take place in Portimao, Portugal, from November 7 to 9, before the season finale in Valencia.
This news was originally published by Reuters.