07:11
Bagnaia was slightly faster than Marquez last time around, so that medium front is now starting to work for him.
2025 Malaysian MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
2025 Malaysian MotoGP, Sepang: Race + reaction as it happened
Lap-by-lap updates from the 2025 MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix
The 20th round of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship takes place at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Pecco Bagnaia starts on something of a surprise pole position, after coming through Q1 on Saturday morning following a tricky Friday and a miserable recent run of races.
The factory Ducati rider converted that pole to a dominant sprint win, despite not having use of his ride height device due to an issue.
He bested Gresini Ducati's Alex Marquez, who wrapped up runner-up spot in the 2025 standings. Now free of that pressure, Marquez will be looking to use the strong race pace he showed on Friday to grab a third win of the season.
His team-mate, Fermin Aldeguer, was on the podium in third in the sprint. However, he was demoted to seventh due to a tyre pressure penalty.
This promoted KTM's Pedro Acosta to third, though questions remain over the KTM's tyre preservation in regards to his hopes of fighting for victory.
Marco Bezzecchi has his work cut out for him from 14th on the grid. The Aprilia rider was able to recover to seventh at the chequered flag on Saturday in the sprint.
The grand prix will run over 20 laps and begins at 7am UK.
26 Oct 2025
07:12
Crash - Pol Espargaro
Espargaro has gone down. He's up and ok.
07:11
Lap 5/20
Four laps down. Marquez leads Bagnaia, but the gap has come down to 0.8s.
Mir is attacking Quartararo now for fourth.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
07:10
Bagnaia is going to have to tough this out for a while with Acosta until his rear tyre starts to drop.
07:09
Lap 4/20
Alex Marquez leads by 0.9s across the line as Bagnaia holds Acosta at bay.
Watch for Mir, though. He's coming quickly onto the rear of Quartararo's Yamaha and has pace here to challenge for the podium.
07:09
📈 @alexmarquez73 hits the front and @37_pedroacosta gets tantalisingly close to @PeccoBagnaia#MalaysianGP 🇲🇾 pic.twitter.com/drInIDlsNC
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 26, 2025
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
07:08
This is all working into Marquez's hands, who is close to a second clear of this fight.
07:08
Acosta takes Bagnaia for second at Turn 4, but the Ducati strikes back at Turn 5! Great move!
07:07
Lap 3/20
Marquez still leads. Behind, Mir toughs it out with Aldeguer for fifth. That Honda is looking good!
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
07:07
Big moment on the front for Bagnaia at Turn 14.
07:07
Quartararo has broken away from Aldeguer right now. Mir is looking racey in sixth and is hounding Aldeguer.
07:06
Bagnaia is the only one of the leaders on the medium front tyre, which could be conditioning his pace right now.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
07:06
Marquez goes for the lead at Turn 4 and gets the move done! Bagnaia tried to retaliate at Turn 5, but it didn't work.
07:05
Lap 2/20
Onto lap two and Bagnaia leads Marquez, Acosta. Then there is a small gap back to Quartararo in fourth ahead of Aldeguer, Morbidelli, Mir, Zarco, Marini and DiGia.
07:04
Bagnaia has been reeled in by Marquez.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
07:04
Bezzecchi is only 16th after the first few corners. Mir making moves in seventh but makes a bit of contact with Morbidelli.
07:03
Marquez picks up Acosta at Turn 4 for second. Aggressive move.
07:03
2025 Malaysian MotoGP: Race start (Lap 1/20)
The 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix is GO!
Great start from Bagnaia from pole, while Acosta is up to second ahead of Marquez.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
07:01
2025 Malaysian MotoGP: Tyre choice
Everyone has, indeed, gone for the soft rear tyre.
07:00
2025 Malaysian MotoGP: Warm-up lap
Here we go, then. The warm-up lap is underway!
06:57
The three-minute board has been given ahead of the warm-up lap.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
06:55
Yamaha boss Massimo Meregalli: "For us, it's going to be a really tough race for everybody. As you can imagine, already this condition is not helpful for them, as they will have to manage the soft tyre, which will make their life even harder. We expect at the end the tyre will be finished."
06:53
Get ready for action in Sepang 🤩 The V4-Powered Prototype is gearing up to its second full-length MotoGP Race 🔥✊#PlanV | #YamahaMotoGP | #YamahaFactoryRacing | #MotoGP | #MalaysianGPpic.twitter.com/CsO5Ud8K85
— Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (@YamahaMotoGP) October 26, 2025
06:51
The grid has assembled to observe the Malaysian national anthem.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
06:51
Though he crashed yesterday in the sprint, Joan Mir had amazing race pace on Friday on the soft tyre on his factory Honda. Maybe today is the day he ends a five-year wait for another MotoGP win.
