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Malaysian GP: Bagnaia wins, Quartararo keeps hopes alive with third-place finish; title race goes down wire

The title race has gone down the wire with the 2022 FIM MotoGP World Championship to be decided in the traditional season-ending race at Valencia, Spain on November 6.

Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia

Bengaluru, October 23: The 2022 FIM MotoGP World Championship title race will be a straight shootout between Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo after the former won the Malaysian GP at the Sepang circuit with the latter keeping his hopes alive with a third place finish.

The title race has gone down the wire with the 2022 FIM MotoGP World Championship to be decided in the traditional season-ending race at Valencia, Spain on November 6.

In the penultimate race at Sepang where pole-sitter Jorge Martin crashed, Bagnaia overcame stiff resistance from Enea Bastianini to clinch to the top spot.

Malaysian GP: Jorge Martin grabs pole with lap recordMalaysian GP: Jorge Martin grabs pole with lap record

Yamaha rider Quartararo hung on the third sport to keep his title hopes alive as if the Frenchman had finished outside podium, Bagnaia would have been crowned the champion.

Just 23 points separate the two as it is over to Valencia now!

Straight shootout

Straight shootout

So, the 2022 FIM MotoGP FIM World Championship title race will be decided at the season finale in Valencia, despite Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) claiming a magnificent seventh win of the campaign in Malaysia.

Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) made Bagnaia and Ducati sweat to finish a close second, as a fabulous effort from reigning MotoGP world champion Quartararo saw the Frenchman claim P3 to take his title defence to Valencia.

Bagnaia has to wait

Bagnaia has to wait

Sepang gave Championship leader Bagnaia his first chance to take that first premier class title, with four contenders remaining.

The Italian would have been the champion if he won and Quartararo did not finish on the podium. A little light mathematics we all had to do for us all to enjoy on Sunday. Bagnaia won, but Quartararo kept his hopes alive. So the Ducati man has to wait for two more weeks.

Fantastic job

Fantastic job

Marco Bezzecchi's charge to the podium did not quite come to fruition, but P4 for the Italian was another fantastic job done. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) rounded out the top five, the Australian GP race winner was 1.5sec up the road from sixth place Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) - the Australian produced a great comeback ride from P14 on the grid to help Ducati Lenovo Team pick up the Teams' title.

Marc Marquez ended the race down in P7, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) claimed eighth, with Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) rounding out the top 10.

Over to Valencia

Over to Valencia

So, after a magical return to Malaysia, we head to Valencia with the MotoGP title race still going down the wire. Bagnaia vs Quartararo, Ducati vs Yamaha, Italy vs France. Over to the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

RESULTS (TOP 10)

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team)

2. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) + 0.270

3. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 2.773

4. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 5.446

5. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 11.923

6. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 13.472

7. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 14.304

8. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 16.805

9. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) + 18.358

10. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 21.591

Story first published: Sunday, October 23, 2022, 13:43 [IST]
Other articles published on Oct 23, 2022