Susanna Riva On Saturday, October 31st, MotoGP turned the spotlight on Sepang, the historic track of the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix. After a week of intense testing, the final Q2 session produced an unexpected result: Alex Marquez took pole position on the Gresini Ducati, leaving his brother Marc Marquez just a few hundredths of a second behind.
Qualifying at Sepang: Alex Marquez's race
The young Spanish rider was fastest in the final part of the session, posting the fastest time by 0,07 seconds over his brother. The standings then welcomed Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in third place, followed by Ai Ogura (Aprilia Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia).
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) lined up on the second row . The final Q2 order confirmed a front row of Alex, Marc, and Acosta, while Johan Zarco finished in eighth place.
Consequences on the standings and Jorge Martin's absence
The Sepang result affects the fight for the world title.
Marc Márquez remains in the championship lead with a 10-point advantage over Jorge Martin and 50 over Marco Bezzecchi . However, the Aprilia Racing rider withdrew from qualifying after suffering a fractured right wrist in a crash at Phillip Island the previous week. His withdrawal opens a window of opportunity for the other contenders, but his absence was confirmed shortly before the start of Q2.
The calendar of the sprint race and the Grand Prix
In addition to the main race, the Malaysian Grand Prix features a sprint race starting at 8:00 AM tomorrow. The sprint, known as the Tissot Sprint, will determine the starting grid for the final race. Fans will be treated to a full day of action, with Alex Marquez's pole position as the focal point and Marc Marquez's championship lead.