Moto2 Malaysia: Marini wins race, Bagnaia champion from third
Sky Racing Team VR46 had plenty to celebrate at the close of the Moto2 Malaysian Grand Prix - it was a day of firsts for them- Luca Marini took his first race win as he kept Miguel Oliveira at bay, while Francesco Bagnaia sat safely in third to take both his and the team’s first world championship title.
Marini hit the front after getting a perfect start aboard his Kalex, he was the only rider to read the line for the first corner correctly at a tricky, drying Sepang as his race rivals ran wide.
The Italian never looked back and although Oliveira kept the pressure on all the way, he eased over the line ahead of the deflated Red Bull KTM Ajo rider by 1.194s at the chequered flag as he acknowledged that his title chance had slipped away.
As consistent as ever, ’Pecco’ Bagnaia recorded his 28th consecutive points finish in third to complete the podium, with his Sky Racing bike re-liveried in black and gold at the close of the race to celebrate his Moto2 Championship win. He now sits 32 points clear of Oliveira at the end of the penultimate weekend.
Mattia Pasini was fourth for Italtrans and celebrated with his fellow countrymen.
Fabio Quartararo provided some late action as he snatched fifth on the line for Speed Up, passing Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) who had to settle for sixth.
Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) had dominated the weekend ahead of race day, starting on pole after a record lap. That pace eluded him when it mattered most and he too was passed by the flying Quartararo in the closing stages, leaving him seventh.
Brad Binder could do nothing to help his Red Bull team-mate stay in the title hunt as he too found himself struggling for speed in eighth.
Marcel Schrotter was the best of the Dynavolt Intact GP riders in ninth, with Xavi Vierge a distant eleventh.
The pair were split by Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), who was once again the top rookie but a massive eighteen seconds behind race winner Marini.
Andrea Locatelli had showed his race pace by topping warm-up and pushed his way back into the points in Sepang after missing out at the last two rounds with a twelfth place finish on the second Italtrans entry.
The remaining points on offer went to Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini) in 13th, Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) in 14th and Sam Lowes, who chipped away at the opposition in the early stages to climb to 15th and then hold position for Swiss Innovative Investors.
Khairul Idham Pawi (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) finished his home grand prix in 17th.
Dimas Ekky Pratama (Tech 3) was the best of the replacement riders, he is in for Bo Bendsneyder ( left tibia break from Japan) and took the chequered flag in 23rd.
Rafid Topan Sucipto (Forward Racing) replaces the injured Stefano Manzi (fractured wrist) - he ended the race in 26th.
Remy Gardner had been running fifth before he became the first rider to fall; exiting at turn fifteen, by pitlane, with 14 laps to go. He was swiftly followed by Xavi Cardelus who crashed in a separate incident at the same corner.
The tricky final hairpin turn proved to be the most popular place to end your race when it then also claimed Tetsuta Nagashima two laps later and then Niki Tuuli just moments after that.
Augusto Fernandez was running in the top ten when he fell, leaving the track on a stretcher.
