Darryn Binder down after ‘cool’ first lap, Diggia having ‘less and less

The pair were holding 16th and 18th respectively when they lost control in separate accidents at Turn 5 at the midway stage of the Sepang race.

Binder began the race in style by carving from 24th and last to 12th on the opening lap. The South African felt he had resisted the temptation to push harder as faster riders re-passed but was still caught out by the ‘strange’ fall.

“I made up like 12 places in the first lap so that was cool,” said the RNF Yamaha rider. “Obviously I didn't have the pace to run there and the likes of Miguel [Oliveira] and Jack [Miller] came by me.

“I knew I didn’t have their pace, so I was just carrying on trying to hit my marks and keep as consistent as I could. And unfortunately then I went down. So really disappointed to crash out. It's super strange and what can I do?

“I crashed in Turn 5 on lap 11. Nothing different, came in and I tucked the front and while I was sliding I saw di Giannantonio sliding with me, so he must have followed me and done exactly the same.

“I didn't expect to crash there and didn't do anything really strange. Not a nice way to end the race.

“[Until then] the front was really stable in the fast corners. The thing that I was struggling with most in the race was to get it stopped in the slow corners.

“I think it wasn't only me because a lot of guys were running wide T1 and 15 and T9. But in the fast stuff I felt really good and didn't feel like I was asking too much when I crashed.

“But it is what it. It’s been a rough weekend and I'm glad it's done. Ready for Valencia!”

di Giannantonio having ‘less and less fun riding my motorcycle’

di Giannantonio’s sixth non-score in a row left the young Italian with some soul searching as he prepared to fly back to Europe, posting on Instagram:

“19th race of the season, the weekend trend is still the same. Unfortunately we don’t get better, we don’t solve problems, so we can’t be faster. The fact is that this season I've had less and less fun riding my motorcycle. But I’m not talking about the motorcycle itself eh, absolutely! Ducati MotoGP is the most extraordinary and incredible ride I've ever ridden and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to drive it.

“I had less fun and the results didn't come. Through it all what have I learned? Hey... I learned that the level in MotoGP is very high and you don't leave anything to chance, and then I think that the game is just this... working, hard, working really hard, planning, studying, analyzing, believing, trusting, thinking through everything, not neglecting any detail, being OBSESSED.

“Yes because in the end the question is... but you, are you OBSESSED? Because just by saying yes you can put yourself against the greatest of this sport. I'm in my thoughts at the airport, Valencia in two weeks, race I'll face with the mindset to do well, very well, as I always did. Then another chapter opens, who knows knows...

“Sorry for the long run just wanted to chat #MalaysianGP @gresiniracing”

However, di Giannantonio, whose highlights so far this year include a shock home pole position at Mugello and eighth-place finish in Germany, later posted a more positive picture, saying “If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan NOT the goal’

The 24-year-old, who will remain at Gresini next season alongside new signing Alex Marquez, will get his first taste of the GP22 Ducati at the Valencia post-race test.

Current team-mate Enea Bastianini, also riding a GP21, finished a close second to Francesco Bagnaia at Sepang.

Binder, who skipped Moto2 on his way straight from Moto3 to MotoGP this year, will race for Intact GP in the intermediate class next eason