Ahead of the sprint, Jorge Martin will have imagined an ideal scenario but he couldn’t have dreamed of what unfolded when the lights went out. The Spaniard another rocket-like start to blast by Pecco Bagnaia and take the lead of the race early on.
With Bagnaia behind and Marc Marquez closing in on the Top 2, the Pramac rider upped his pace into the high 1’58s.
With pressure rising on this title rival, Bagnaia eventually gave way, losing the front into Sepang’s tricky Turn 9 and crashing out of the sprint, burying the last sliver of title hopes he had.
Martin went on to tak e anuncontested sprint win ahead of Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini. Alex Marquez and Fabio Quartararo completed the Top 5.
