The 2023 MotoGP title battle remains extremely close after the Malaysian Grand Prix, though the day belonged to Enea Bastianini. Having struggled all year with injury and form upon his step up to the factory Ducati squad, Bastianini bounced back emphatically with a dominant win at Sepang.
The result comes as he faces rumours of potentially losing his seat to Pramac’s Jorge Martin next year. Not even a tyre pressure rule breach could dampen Bastianini’s spirits, though it reignited the debate over this regulation.
Francesco Bagnaia, meanwhile, got the better of his title rival Martin in the grand prix after claiming a first pole since Barcelona, but could only convert this to third. With Martin struggling to fourth, the championship gap stands at just 14 points in Bagnaia’s favour with two rounds to go.
Elsewhere, there was more news at Honda as Luca Marini entered the frame – along with several others briefly – as favourite to replace Marc Marquez. Aprilia had to dump a clutch system it had been using after rival complaints, while manufacturer concessions aimed at pegging back Ducati and aiding the Japanese marques are in the works.
After another busy weekend to begin the final stage of the season, here are 10 things we learned from the 2023 Malaysian Grand Prix.
1. The Beast is back in town
Source: Autosport