Francesco Bagnaia Dominates Sepang Sprint for Ducati Lenovo Team at 2025 Malaysian GP

Bagnaia takes pole-to-win Sprint victory as Alex Marquez seals second in the MotoGP championship and Aldeguer clinches Rookie of the Year title

SEPANG, Malaysia – October 25, 2025: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was untouchable on Saturday at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia, storming to victory in the Tissot Sprint from pole position and marking a perfect comeback weekend. The reigning double MotoGP World Champion led from lights to flag, finishing 2.2 seconds ahead of Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) in a commanding performance that reaffirmed his championship credentials.

The result also confirmed a historic Marquez brothers 1-2 in the 2025 MotoGP World Championship, with Alex securing second place overall behind his elder brother Marc. It was a proud moment for the Marquez family and a celebration in the Gresini Racing garage, which had even more to cheer as Fermin Aldeguer sealed the 2025 Rookie of the Year crown.

Despite a post-race tyre pressure penalty that dropped him off the podium, Aldeguer’s P3 finish on track capped off a remarkable debut season.

Bagnaia Grabs the Holeshot

From pole position, Bagnaia got the perfect launch, immediately taking control of the Sprint. Behind him, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) made another blistering start to slot into third, while Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) recovered from a slow getaway to climb to fourth by the end of Lap 1 after a fierce battle with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).

Meanwhile, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and Fermin Aldeguer treated fans to a thrilling exchange on the opening lap before Mir moved into fourth and began closing in on the leaders.

Mir Crashes Out, Bagnaia Extends His Lead

By Lap 3, Bagnaia had already stretched his advantage to a full second over Alex Marquez and Acosta, with Mir half a second behind. The Ducati rider was consistently half a second faster per lap than the rest of the field and soon built a 1.9-second cushion.

However, Mir’s hopes of a podium ended abruptly with a crash at Turn 9, ending Honda’s challenge for the rostrum. That opened the door for Aldeguer, who began hunting down Acosta in a bid for third place.

Aldeguer Passes Acosta as Marini Crashes Out

On Laps 6 and 7, Aldeguer showed his raw pace, running more than half a second quicker than Acosta. With three laps to go, he made a clean move at Turn 9 to take P3. But Honda’s day went from bad to worse as Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) suffered his first crash of the season after contact with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3), ending both riders’ hopes of points.

Aldeguer couldn’t close the gap to teammate Marquez before the flag, but Bagnaia was long gone. The Italian crossed the line unchallenged to win from pole, delivering a faultless ride that showcased his trademark calm and precision.

Final Results and Championship Notes

Bagnaia’s victory gives Ducati Lenovo Team valuable momentum heading into Sunday’s race, while Gresini Racing celebrated a memorable double podium — Marquez in P2 and Aldeguer third on track. A post-Sprint tyre pressure penalty dropped Aldeguer to P7, promoting Pedro Acosta to P3 and the final podium step.

The final top nine finishers were:

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)
2. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
3. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
4. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team)
5. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)
6. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing)
7. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP)
8. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR)
9. Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3)

With Bezzecchi’s P6 finish, the Italian now sits level on points with Bagnaia in the MotoGP championship standings, setting up an intense title fight heading into the final rounds of 2025.