Ducati Dominates at Sepang with Double Podium Finish

Ducati celebrates a double podium at the Malaysian Grand Prix, with Francesco Bagnaia claiming his tenth win of the season and Enea Bastianini finishing third.

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The Ducati Lenovo Team showcased another stellar performance in Malaysia as Francesco Bagnaia clinched his tenth win of the season, with teammate Enea Bastianini following closely to secure third place. Jorge Martín, riding for Pramac Racing, claimed second, completing an all-Ducati top three at the Malaysian Grand Prix held at Sepang International Circuit. With this victory, Ducati also achieved a historic milestone: a record-breaking 18 wins in a single MotoGP season.

A Thrilling Race and a Red Flag Incident

The race, initially set for 20 laps, was reduced to 19 following a red flag due to a three-way crash at turn two on the opening lap. At the restart, Bagnaia and Martín engaged in a fierce battle for the lead, with Bagnaia eventually breaking away by lap four. From there, Bagnaia expertly managed his gap, maintaining a comfortable lead until the checkered flag. This victory marked Bagnaia’s 50th career MotoGP podium and made him only the sixth rider in premier-class history to achieve ten wins in a single season.

Enea Bastianini also delivered a solid performance. After gaining one position at the start, Bastianini found himself locked behind Franco Morbidelli in the early laps. He managed to pass Morbidelli by lap six and moved up one more position following Marc Marquez’s crash, ultimately finishing in third place. This result reinforces his fourth position in the championship standings, just one point behind Marquez.

Championship Update: Bagnaia vs. Martín

As the MotoGP season approaches its final round, the championship race remains close. With this win, Bagnaia is currently second in the standings, trailing Jorge Martín by 24 points. The last race at the Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya will be critical, as both Bagnaia and Martín vie for the top honors in an exciting season finale.

Riders Reflect on the Race and Their Season

After his dominant win, Bagnaia reflected on the challenges and successes of the season. “Our pace today was really competitive. Jorge did everything he could to stay in front early on, but I felt very comfortable on the bike,” he shared. However, he acknowledged the need to improve Ducati’s performance in sprint races, where the team hasn’t seen the same level of success. Bagnaia added, “This is our tenth Sunday win of the season, which proves how excellent of a job we’ve done this year.”

Bastianini echoed similar sentiments, commenting on the difficulties posed by higher temperatures during the race. “It was a challenging race, even more than yesterday, and I kept struggling on corner entry,” he admitted. However, Bastianini was satisfied with his podium finish and dedicated it to the Valencian community, which has been affected by tragic events this week. “The Valencian community needs all our support in these extremely difficult times,” he said.

Ducati Corse’s View

Luigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse’s General Manager, expressed pride in the team’s achievements while extending support to the Valencian community. “Our thoughts go first to the Valencian Community, who’s enduring a very dramatic moment,” he said. Dall’Igna praised both Bagnaia and Martín for their thrilling battle in the race’s early stages and commended Bastianini’s determination. “It was nice to see Enea also on the podium, despite the issues he had with the front-end. He did an excellent job in scoring the best possible result,” he remarked.

Looking Ahead

The MotoGP season will come to an end on November 15-17 at Montmeló’s Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya, replacing the usual final round in Valencia. With championship points still in contention, fans can expect an exhilarating showdown between Bagnaia and Martín as they battle it out for the title. Ducati, now the clear dominator of the 2024 season, will aim to finish on a high note, capping off an extraordinary year that has set a new standard for success in the MotoGP premier class.