{"id":244452,"date":"2025-10-27T16:29:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T16:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/244452\/"},"modified":"2025-10-27T16:29:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T16:29:11","slug":"six-things-we-learned-at-the-motogp-malaysian-gp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/244452\/","title":{"rendered":"Six things we learned at the MotoGP Malaysian GP"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marc Marquez<\/a>\u2019s absence notwithstanding, the Sepang weekend had echoes of the early part of the 2025 season. Alex Marquez<\/a> was a fixture in the top two. The brothers from Cervera made their grip on the top two in the championship official. Francesco Bagnaia<\/a> was up at the front. It almost felt like a \u2018normal\u2019 race.<\/p>\n

Broadly reasonable rider behaviour and an emphasis on tyre conservation meant it wasn\u2019t exactly an epic in terms of entertainment. But there was always a battle going on somewhere, and psychological intrigue lurked beneath the surface. Here are six things that stood out following the MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix weekend.<\/p>\n

Second in the championship meant a heck of a lot to Alex Marquez
\n \"Alex <\/p>\n

Alex Marquez had an emotional release at sealing the second part of a Marquez 1-2 in the championship<\/p>\n

Photo by: Qian Jun \/ MB Media via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Trust us, Alex Marquez winning the \u2018battle\u2019 for second place in the world championship behind his all-conquering brother has not been a recipe for a frenzy of clicks this season. Partly because it looked inevitable once Alex had hoovered up so many top-two finishes early in the year. Partly because Bagnaia, the one man who should have made the task difficult for Alex, lost the plot, ensuring it really was a formality for the younger Marquez. And partly because \u2013 harsh though it is \u2013 Alex Marquez isn\u2019t Marc.<\/p>\n

Alex didn\u2019t exactly do his part for generating hype around his quest for second place during the season. In a series where cojones and winning are all that matter, it\u2019s not the done thing anyway. But it turns out that the runner-up spot was indeed weighing on the man himself \u2013 that much was evident after he sealed it with second in the sprint.<\/p>\n

All the bottled-up emotions came out, with Marquez admitting to some serious nerves during the race and some tearful moments afterwards. Being part of a historic family 1-2 obviously heightened feelings, particularly with Marc back home recovering from an injury. The siblings join one of sport\u2019s most elite clubs \u2013 surely someone at Liberty is already working on a media event with tennis\u2019s Williams sisters\u2026<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

With the pressure off on Sunday, Alex delivered an impressive ride to victory. And so we learned another minor fact about him \u2013 he can win MotoGP races outside of Spain! Seriously, though, two of his three wins this year \u2013 this one and Catalunya \u2013 have come at tracks where he is a known specialist. To challenge for titles across a schedule longer than the Milky Way, he\u2019ll need to go to the next level at tracks where his form is less stellar.<\/p>\n

Bagnaia\u2019s ups and downs are keeping the MotoGP show going
\n \"Bagnaia's <\/p>\n

Bagnaia’s season took yet another twist in Malaysia<\/p>\n

Photo by: Asif Zubairi \/ Motorsport Network<\/a><\/p>\n

With Marc having wrapped up the title in Japan, there was a danger that interest in the MotoGP season would fizzle out with five race weekends still to go and the champion on his sick bed. But Bagnaia\u2019s mind-boggling flyaway tour came along at exactly the right moment \u2013 and still you can\u2019t look away for fear of missing what happens next.<\/p>\n

Scooping up all 37 points in Japan, propping up the field at the next two rounds and then returning to winning form in Malaysia? Even in the days before telemetry and data-crunching analysis on a grand scale, this would have been far-fetched. Now that information overload is a part of sport, massive and sudden performance swings in any direction are almost impossible \u2013 which is what makes Bagnaia\u2019s travails so fascinating.<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

All the elements for engagement and intrigue are there. Asking us to believe that nobody across the Ducati or Bagnaia camps has an explanation is asking a lot. But as races tick by and the Bagnaia rollercoaster rides on, the idea seems more plausible. Either you believe they\u2019re stumped, or you become more convinced that there\u2019s something big that we\u2019re not being told.<\/p>\n

If he was consistently poor, most would by now ascribe it to a breakdown in Bagnaia\u2019s personal performance and confidence. It would be unusual in professional sport, but not unheard of \u2013 golf has its share of examples. But the intermittent high peaks tend to rule out that theory. It\u2019s a mystery not even ChatGPT has the answer to (yet).<\/p>\n

As we head into the final two chapters of Bagnaia versus the GP25, MotoGP can be thankful that mystery sells well. It also lends juicy context to the Bagnaia versus Marco Bezzecchi<\/a> battle for third in the championship, which would otherwise be of limited interest.<\/p>\n

Pedro Acosta<\/a> is starting to look like the full package
\n \"Acosta <\/p>\n

Acosta has developed as a rider over the Asian flyaway races<\/p>\n

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography \/ LAT Images \/ via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Memories of a brace-faced teenager are still so fresh that it\u2019s hard to banish them. But banish them we must \u2013 and not just because Acosta has looked outwardly so much more adult as his 22nd year has progressed. There\u2019s a far more important reason \u2013 he is no longer operating the way a young rookie would.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Acosta had unpolished speed and talent, but not a lot else. Which was totally OK for a rookie. But his sophomore year didn\u2019t start very well, as he battled the bike and rumours abounded that he was trying to escape his factory KTM contract. Once the latter distraction was laid to rest a few races in, Acosta seemed to find a little more focus. The bike returned from the summer break more competitive, which seemed to give him another boost \u2013 although it also led to him pushing beyond the limit at times.<\/p>\n

Then the one-year anniversary of his crashing out twice from pole position in Japan seemed to mark a shift towards a more adult, rounded and professional Acosta. Who knows what self-development books he has been reading, but he hasn\u2019t been shy to speak about his newfound maturity on the flyways. And more to the point, he has backed up these words with his track performances.<\/p>\n

Granted, the crashing hasn\u2019t disappeared \u2013 though it was noticeable in Malaysia that he got his accidents out of the way in practice and they were all low-speed affairs. But twice on the Asia-Pacific swing, he dragged results out of a tyre-chewing RC16 in professorial style \u2013 first at Mandalika and now at Sepang.<\/p>\n

His explanation of the latter ride \u2013 that he told the team to switch off certain rider aids and let him manage tyre wear in old-school fashion \u2013 also suggested he has now grown into a confident leader who will stick by his technical convictions and can boss a garage. This iteration of Acosta is terrifying in its potential.<\/p>\n

Aprilia\u2019s RS-GP doesn\u2019t work at every track after all
\n \"Aprilia <\/p>\n

Aprilia came undone at Sepang<\/p>\n

Photo by: Shameem Fahath \/ Motorsport Network<\/a><\/p>\n

The MotoGP Aprilia used to be unbeatable at places like Silverstone and Barcelona, but pretty ordinary at most other tracks \u2013 particularly outside of Europe. Bezzecchi\u2019s consistent form since Le Mans, not to mention Raul Fernandez\u2019s win for Trackhouse in Australia, had convinced many that the RS-GP was now a fully-fledged all-rounder. It didn\u2019t wipe the floor with everyone at the Circuit de Catalunya, so the crazy peaks were gone, but it was going to be a competitive bike everywhere\u2026 a bit like a certain machine from Bologna.<\/p>\n

Er, not quite. Sepang put the brakes on the theory that Aprilia has usurped Ducati (let\u2019s not get into GP24s and GP25s\u2026) as the go-to bike for any given circuit. All of the riders struggled \u2013 and they claimed afterwards that they knew it was coming. The bike had not gelled with the track in the February test, after all. And sure enough, despite very different track conditions in October, the progress made in intervening months did not reflect at this venue.<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

Maybe Sepang just doesn\u2019t like Aprilias. That winter test is where Jorge Martin<\/a>\u2019s catalogue of injury woes began, after all \u2013 and Fernandez also got injured then. But, as always in a marathon season, let\u2019s keep perspective. The Noale marque would have taken three strong flyaways out of four before taking off for Japan, and if the factory is down to just one bogey circuit then that is worth celebrating.<\/p>\n

Honda can now compete in the MotoGP power stakes
\n \"Honda <\/p>\n

Honda tops the speed trap – a sign of progress<\/p>\n

Photo by: Shameem Fahath \/ Motorsport Network<\/a><\/p>\n

As lap two of the Malaysian GP ended and lap three began, one of modern MotoGP\u2019s more significant engineering moments unfolded. Fermin Aldeguer<\/a> and the attacking Joan Mir<\/a> exited the final hairpin side-by-side and began a drag race up the front straight.<\/p>\n

Conventional wisdom said that a Ducati \u2013 even a GP24 \u2013 would easily outrun a Honda in such a contest. But it was Mir who tipped into the first corner ahead. And that might have made a suit or two in Bologna choke on their breakfast cappuccinos.<\/p>\n

Both Japanese manufacturers, Honda and Yamaha, were battling for top speed at the start of the season. Rewind to the third round at Austin, where speed trap figures showed the Hondas averaging around 5km\/h slower than Bezzecchi\u2019s Aprilia, with most of the Ducatis somewhere in between. But Honda has been chipping away since then \u2013 and the Aldeguer moment graphically highlighted how it had moved towards the top of the charts.<\/p>\n

For more scientific evidence that this was more than just a great corner exit, consider that Mir, taking an average of his best five speeds, was quickest through the trap during the race. He also clocked the outright top velocity at 333.3km\/h \u2013 an honour shared, neatly enough, with Bezzecchi.<\/p>\n

While power is always a topic to treat with caution, with many factors at play, there has been enough evidence in recent races to suggest that Honda is now right up there in that department.<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

Yamaha\u2019s V4 has a long way to go
\n \"Yamaha's <\/p>\n

Yamaha’s V4 didn’t make gains in Malaysia compared to its Misano outing in September<\/p>\n

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography \/ LAT Images \/ via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Over at the other Japanese MotoGP manufacturer, it is hard to find similar signs of encouragement. Most worrying is the fact that the new V4 project has shown no progress since its Misano debut over a month ago.<\/p>\n

Sepang was the bike\u2019s second outing in the hands of test rider Augusto Fernandez<\/a>. Nobody expected it to be quick in Italy, given that it was still at the bottom of its development curve. But if you\u2019re going to use steep development curves to explain performance, then you\u2019ve also got to reckon with a significant step between two races several weeks apart.<\/p>\n

Here are the numbers. At Misano, Fernandez qualified ahead of one rider, Somkiat Chantra<\/a>. In Malaysia, he lined up last, behind not only Chantra but Aprilia and Ducati\u2019s respective test riders, neither of whom raced at Misano.<\/p>\n

In the San Marino race, disregarding riders who fell, Fernandez defeated only Chantra. He ended that contest 61.504s off winner Marc Marquez, but did serve a double long lap penalty for a jump start. In Malaysia, again leaving aside fallers, he came home last \u2013 closer to the winner at 47.060s but without any penalties.<\/p>\n

The V4 engine also set the slowest representative race top speed on the five-lap average metric. His 325.3km\/h mark did not compare favourably with the inline four, aboard which the frustrated Fabio Quartararo<\/a> was clocked at 332.3km\/h. To be charitable, the latter may be considered an outlier time in Yamaha terms, with Alex Rins<\/a> and Miguel Oliveira<\/a>\u2019s examples only a couple of clicks faster than Fernandez.<\/p>\n

Still, in a series where manufacturers fight for months to extract half a second, is there going to be movement up this development curve at all? Is the V4 a dud? Or is blistering potential being masked by the fact that the bike is still running in \u2018safe mode\u2019? You be the judge.<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The 2025 MotoGP powers on back to Europe for a double-header finale<\/p>\n

Photo by: Shameem Fahath \/ Motorsport Network<\/a><\/p>\n

We want to hear from you!<\/p>\n

Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.<\/p>\n

Take our survey<\/a><\/p>\n

– The Autosport.com Team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Marc Marquez\u2019s absence notwithstanding, the Sepang weekend had echoes of the early part of the 2025 season. Alex…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":244453,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[572],"tags":[64,63,141089,5745,806,805,803,804,141090,145543,85],"class_list":["post-244452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-motosport","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-malaysian-gp","tag-motogp","tag-motor","tag-motor-sports","tag-motosport","tag-motosports","tag-sepang-international-circuit","tag-six-things-we-learned-at-the-motogp-malaysian-gp","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244452\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/244453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}