2024 Malaysian MotoGP: Martin edges closer to title with sprint win as Bagnaia crashes
Vital win for Martin as crucial Bagnaia crash edges Pramac rider closer to the title
Jorge Martin has taken a massive sprint victory at the 2024 MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix after title rival Francesco Bagnaia crashed out.
After the pair traded blows in a thrilling qualifying session, with Bagnaia taking pole, Martin tipped the scales back in his favour in the 10-lap sprint.
Getting the holeshot from second on the grid, Martin led Bagnaia for the first two laps before the reigning champion crashed at Turn 9 on the third tour.
Suffering his eighth DNF of the year and with Martin comfortably winning the Sepang sprint, Bagnaia has now slipped 29 points behind in the standings.
Five minute before lights out, there was a very brief rain shower, though it ultimately came to nothing and the race was run in dry conditions.
Martin now just needs to outscore Bagnaia by nine points on Sunday to be crowned world champion.
Marc Marquez brushed off a difficult weekend so far to finish second on the Gresini-run GP23, while Enea Bastianini inherited the final podium spot after his Ducati team-mate Bagnaia’s crash.
Off the line Bagnaia and Martin ran side-by-side into the first corner, with the latter holding firm on the inside of Turn 1.
Bagnaia tried to tough it out on the outside to get a run into Turn 2, but Martin kept the lead, while Marquez had leapt from fifth to third.
Exiting Turn 9 on the first lap, Bagnaia had a small twitch on the gas, which gave Martin a few bike lengths of advantage while Marquez loomed large behind the factory Ducati.
There was no change on lap two, while on the third tour Bagnaia didn’t come out the other side of Turn 9 as he tucked the front on the way in.
It gave Martin a 0.9s lead over Marquez, with Bastianini boosted onto the podium as a result.
This order never changed to the chequered flag, with Martin 0.913s clear of Marquez at the end, while Bastianini was a further 1.097s adrift.
Alex Marquez was fourth on the sister Gresini GP23, while Fabio Quartararo was a fine fifth on the factory Yamaha.
Franco Morbidelli was sixth on the Pramac Ducati, with Brad Binder leading the KTM charge in seventh ahead of team-mate Jack Miller.
Tech3 GASGAS rookie Pedro Acosta put Miller under immense pressure over the final laps, but couldn’t advance on ninth.
Marco Bezzecchi was out of the points in 10th on the VR46 Ducati, while Aleix Espargaro was the top Aprilia in 12th.
Luca Marini took top Honda honours in 15th, while LCR’s Johann Zarco retired on lap eight with a mechanical issue.
Andrea Iannone was 19th on his first MotoGP start since 2019 on the second VR46 Ducati, 3.8s clear of Trackhouse Racing’s Lorenzo Savadori and 2.084s behind the other Trackhouse Aprilia of Raul Fernandez.
