MotoGP riders readying to storm a sweltering Sepang

MotoGP 2023

Round 18 – Malaysian Grand Prix

There are just three race weekends to go, and they are all in quick succession starting this weekend in Sepang, followed by Lusail in Qatar before the 20-round season culminates at Valencia with what will no doubt be a stunning climax to what has been a ground breaking MotoGP season in 2023.

The three Tissot Sprints and Grand Prix races that remain are not, in fact, worth any more than they were in Portugal, or Mugello, or even last time out. But as the finish line appears on the horizon, it feels like it’s now all or nothing for the remaining 111 points – and the top two in the title fight are split by just 13 as they arrive in Malaysia.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) remains the Championship leader on the way in, and he’ll be the Championship leader by the conclusion of the Sprint at Sepang too, by a minimum of 1 point. That’s about all that can be guaranteed after a rollercoaster few Grands Prix for both the top title contenders. For Bagnaia, it’s been a mixture of tough Fridays, visits to Q1, rabbits pulled out of hats to make some history on Sunday and a good few reminders exactly why he’s the reigning Champion. At Sepang last season, he also proved why he would go on to grab that title as he held his nerve to out-duel now team-mate Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team).

For Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), meanwhile, it’s all been about pure pace. Or so it seemed, until Buriram. There, Martin was not actually faster than Bagnaia and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and he had to get the gloves off, soak up some serious pressure and play a tactical game to perfection all the way to the finish line in what was a blockbuster final few laps in Thailand with Martin, Bagnaia and Binder giving no quarter.  Those memories of Martin’s crash out of the lead in Indonesia have hopefully been put to bed after proving, just like in Japan, that his nerves can be as steel as required – and he’ll need them to be after crashing out of the lead in Sepang last season.

Binder won’t be easy competition to deny, however, and he has little to lose. No pressure in the fight for the crown, an ever-present desire to get absolutely stuck in, serious speed and an RC16 that’s rocketed through the ranks since earlier this year at the Sepang Test make quite a combination, and he really, really wants that win.

But Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will want to make sure he’s the rider taking it to Bagnaia and Martin instead this time round, aiming to arrive at 100 per cent fitness and not having been on the podium since that stunning win in India before his broken collarbone. Time is running out for Bezzecchi to stay in contention for the crown, but as we’ve seen before… when it’s hooked up for Bezzecchi, it’s game over for the rest. Can he turn the tide and get back on top to ride a huge wave home all the way to Valencia…?

The rest of the Ducati armada will aim to do just that, too. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) wants more this weekend and was the fastest in the Sepang Test. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) was right in the podium battle in Buriram before crashing out. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) is now a premier class winner, and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) was on an awesome run before a tougher Thai GP.

There’s also a wildcard in the mix, in more than one way, as newly-crowned 2023 WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista wildcards with the Aruba.it team. And his times raised some eyebrows in testing, as they should as he returns to a venue he’s raced more in the premier class of Grand Prix racing than most of the riders around him…

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), meanwhile, had a few things to remind people of in Buriram, as did one rider he duelled with in a fabulous flashback: Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).

Marquez got the gloves off with Bagnaia, Quartararo, Bezzecchi AND Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) across a much better weekend in Thailand, and he’ll want to do more of the same at Sepang. Quartararo, this time around, got the better of Marquez too, and last year in Malaysia he rode a stunning race to keep his title hopes alive.

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Speaking of Aleix Espargaro, it’s been a slightly tougher stint for Aprilia recently despite flashes of awesome speed. Both Espargaro and team-mate Maverick Viñales suffered in the heat at Buriram, but not from the ambient conditions – from the bike. Viñales’ record at the venue is a truly stellar one too.

Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) and team-mate Raul Fernandez had tough Thai GPs also and will want a lot more from Malaysia, a home race for many in the team including founder Razlan Razali.

The list of those wanting more continues for many. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) may top the list as his mid-season woes continue into late-season woes, especially looking at the speed of Binder as a comparison last time out.

Fellow RC16 rider Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) will be frustrated in a different way after good pace in Buriram took him straight to Q2, but a run off on Sunday then dropped him back. He won the duel after catching teammate Pol Espargaro though, something Espargaro will want to reverse at Sepang if their paths cross once more.

Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) will try and home in on team-mate Marc Marquez and the top ten, and likewise Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) with Quartararo.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) took more points but had a deficit to Mir at the flag in Thailand, and Sepang offers another chance to move forward. He’ll have a team-mate this time round too, with Iker Lecuona stepping in at LCR Honda Castrol as Alex Rins continues his recovery from a follow up surgery.

It’s a 23-strong field ready to take on a Sprint and a Grand Prix race at Sepang, bring it on…

MotoGP Championship Points

Moto2

Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a match point last time out, but it was definitely a longer shot as Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) came out swinging on race day to deny Acosta. However, at Sepang this weekend a top four finish will be enough to wrap up the crown regardless of where Arbolino finishes.

The rider really making waves and a few headlines in the rumour mill regarding a possible move to the premier class next season, however, is Buriram winner Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp). Can he play a starring role once again?

Moto2 Championship Points

Moto3

As Moto3 hits Sepang, Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) is looking to hammer home an advantage of 17 points.

Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) remains the closest on the chase, the Japanese rider one of those who fought Masia right to the final corner at the venue in 2022.

It’s now David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) in third, just 25 points off the top as the rookie continues to show zero sympathy for those who’ve been racing these tracks for years.

David Alonso

“We still have three races to finish the season and two of them are on unknown tracks for me. These circuits are different from the European tracks, they are very wide and long and it will be interesting to see how we adapt to them to be able to fight for big goals. Although we have already won the ‘Rookie of the year’ title, we want to keep working to stay among the best. We will try to have a good weekend and be in the front group, which is where you learn the most.”

Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) is within the same single-race 25-point margin of the top too, and won’t be content to settle.

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), meanwhile, is now 39 points off the top, making Sepang a probable last stand in the title fight. But if there’s a final corner made for the Turkish rider, it’s likely this one.

Joel Kelso will be vying to get in that mix and take as many points as he can from the title challengers.

Moto3 Championship Points

Malaysian Grand Prix Schedule
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2023 MotoGP Calendar