Moto2: de Angelis wins red-flagged race, Marquez crashes

By Lisa Lewis

San Marino rider Alex de Angelis took his first Moto2 grand prix win of the season and the fourth of his career in changeable and tricky wet conditions at the Sepang circuit.

A four-way fight for the lead ended with the Forward Racing rider winning as the red flag halted the contest three laps early due to the worsening weather.

The final results were taken from the end of the previous lap, meaning Gino Rea - who had just hit the front - was classified in third, while Ant West was credited with second.

The championship remains open after Marc Marquez lost the front and fell while in a title winning position and under pressure from Andrea Iannone.

Instead of returning to his garage a champion a distraught Marquez returned on a scooter. Espargaro did enough to keep his hopes alive by finishing eleventh as late crashes by Tom Luthi and Mike Di Meglio helped move him up the order.

De Angelis was happy to win in the circumstances saying it was "so crazy today as the conditions changed all the time, but I made a very good first lap...and the bike was perfect".

Ant West secured his first podium since his 250cc days in 2005 at the British Grand Prix with a second , living up to his 'Rain Master' tag.

The Australian QMMF rider said in the press conference that it was "good tobe back"at the front but he "made a few mistakes at the end as the conditions were crazy". He also took time to thank the team as at the start of the season he didn't think he'd be racing at all and never thought he'd go on to see the podium.

Gino Rea found it "frustrating" to hit the front as the red flag came out but the Federal Oil sponsored Gresini Brit was quick to point out that "that's how the rules work". He said that being on the podium was an "amazing feeling" and that he was glad to show what he could do as the wet "levels it a bit".

An incredible fourth was taken by one time race leader Hafizh Syahrin who had an amazing wild card ride in his home grand prix on his Petronas Raceline bike.

In just his second grand prix the Malaysian consistently set fastest laps to work his way up to the front and for a while looked like winning.

Julian Simon who also lead for a while was next to finish in fifth for the Blusens Avintia Team while Andrea Iannone was classed as sixth despite a crash just before the flag for Speed Master.

Mika Kallio recovered from being forced off in the opening lap accident between Johann Zarco and Xavier Simon, both of whom had their race end then and there. The Marc VDS man found himself down in 26 but rode his way back to seventh.

Bradley Smith had taken the front at the first corner but faded back a little to finish eighth for Tech3. Dominique Aegerter was ninth for Technomag and Tito Rabat stole tenth from Tuenti Movil HP 40 team mate Pol Espargaro.

Twelfth was taken by British rider Scott Redding for Marc VDS while Elias secured 13th for Italtrans. Axel Pons took the final championship point for the Pons team.

Takaaki Nakagami went off track at the opening corner but rejoined only to then be pushed off track on the Italtrans by Brazilian youngster Eric Granado's JIR.

Simone Corsi was handed a penalty for a jump start on the Ioda.

Marquez will carry a 48-point lead into next weekend's penultimate round in Australia.