After the ups and downs of Phillip Island MotoGP shapes up in Sepang

MotoGP 2025

Round 20 – Sepang – Preview

The MotoGP title may already be wrapped up, but with second place and the top five in the championship still up for grabs, and five different race winners in as many rounds, including two new faces on the top step in the last fortnight, the 2025 MotoGP season rolls on from Phillip Island’s gusty cold winds to the thick, humid sweatfest that is Sepang.

Due to injuries to Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, and Maverick Viñales, their grid spots are again taken by Michele Pirro, Lorenzo Savadori, and Pol Espargaro.

Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing) has a real chance to lock in runner-up honours if he performs in the Sprint.

His closest rival, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), has been one of the standout riders of the second half of the season but hasn’t claimed a Grand Prix win since Silverstone. With five different winners in the last five races, the Italian will be hungry to join that streak.

The Battle for Fourth

Behind the top trio, things are heating up for fourth place in the standings. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) has endured two tough weekends and will be hoping to bounce back at one of his best tracks. A winner at Sepang in 2022 and 2024, and a podium finisher last year, the circuit’s heavy braking zones suit his style perfectly.

Francesco Bagnaia

“I’m leaving behind another difficult weekend, with two crashes between the Sprint and the race. I’m not satisfied, but I know that, at least for Sunday’s race, I did everything I could to stay with the group and recover positions. It’s not an easy situation, but the whole Team and I are doing everything we can to fully understand the bike’s behaviour and get back to being competitive. Furthermore, on this track, we have all the data from the early February test to be able to make a real comparison”.

Just 41 points behind, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) continues to chase his first MotoGP win after a consistent run that included a Sprint podium and fifth in Australia.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) sits another 17 points back after his Phillip Island podium and will be eager to keep that form rolling. The Italian missed Sepang in 2024 and was injured there in pre-season testing, so this weekend is all about turning the page.

Fabio Di Giannantonio

“The podium we took in Australia gives us the motivation to work hard and try to change my memories of Malaysia, which haven’t always been the most positive. We aim to carry over the good front-end feeling I had at Phillip Island and prepare the weekend well so we can start with a strong pace right away. The track is really nice, but the conditions will be completely different from last weekend – it’s going to be very hot. It will be another challenge, and we’ll try to bring home a great result to return to Europe with a smile.”

MotoGP’s newest race winners have added a fresh spark to the season. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing) triumphed in Indonesia, while Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) took his maiden win at Phillip Island. Fernandez has been in blistering form of late, with two Sprint podiums and a full-race win, seeing him now only just 20 points shy of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) in the overall standings.

Davide Brivio – Trackhouse Aprilia Team Principal

“We arrive in Sepang with a big smile after the last weekend in Phillip Island with a fantastic race from Raul, whose performance has been improving through the last races. We try to keep the momentum going and try to stay with the top guys, fighting for some good results again. Also, after Phillip Island, we will have Ai in a much better shape on a track where he already has some experience on the MotoGP bike because we spent some test days here in the winter. So, let’s try to get both, Raul and Ai, fighting for good results this weekend. We are also back with the Gulf livery, which is the one the fans have voted for and we ran in Indonesia – it’s very beautiful. We’ll continue giving our best and try to get good results in these fantastic Gulf colors. After the last weekend I also want to say thank you very much to all the team again, to all the guys working in Trackhouse MotoGP. Let’s stay focused for this weekend again and push ourselves to the maximum.”

Massimo Meregalli – Monster Energy Yamaha Team Director

“The previous round didn’t quite turn out as we had hoped. Fabio had another pole position and even set a new all-time lap record, but we need to learn from what happened during the Sprint and the Race and do better this time round. Álex, on the other hand, had a good Race and is growing in confidence. Historically, Sepang is usually a good track for us. Last year, Fabio and Álex also got decent results here. Moreover, we had a good winter test here at the start of this year during the off-season, which created high expectations, so we are keen to keep that trend going this weekend.”

Aldeguer, meanwhile, returns to a circuit where he won in Moto2 two years ago and will be keen to rediscover that rhythm after a quiet weekend in Australia. Quartararo himself has often gone well at Sepang, and both he and Yamaha will be hoping to convert their pre-season promise into a strong finish.

KTM, Honda, and Yamaha Looking for More

KTM enjoyed a strong showing in Australia with all four bikes inside the top ten. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) both have reasons to expect more this weekend. Bastianini, in particular, will look to repeat his double podium from last year’s Malaysian GP, but that was on a Ducati.

Nicolas Goyon – Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager

“We are ready for the last round of the Asian tour with the Grand Prix of Malaysia at the very well known Sepang International Circuit, a test destination as we come every year during the pre-season. We are expecting an interesting weekend for Enea Bastianini, as it is a track which he enjoys, having won there back in 2023. It is going to be the first time that he races on a track where he already have data with the KTM, so we think it will be a big help for him, and he is is arriving from a solid race in Phillip Island, so hopefully we can keep the momentum going as we hope a comeback close to the top 5. Pol Espargaro has done an incredible job so far with us, scoring 3 top 10 results in 3 rounds, and if there would be one, we would give him the award of the fastest test rider this season! Sepang is not his favorite track, but he will approach this weekend with calm and no pressure, which has paid off this year for him, so let’s see what he is capable of achieving here.”

Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) has quietly built momentum, taking five top-ten finishes from his last six starts, while Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha) heads to one of his best tracks of 2024, chasing a third straight top ten.

Luca Marini

“Ready for another race in what I am sure will be an interesting weekend. Sepang is a very particular track and having tested there, you always get a chance to compare what you’ve worked on through the year. It’s a circuit with a big variety of braking, corners and straights and I think this will suit us a little more than in Phillip Island. Three races to achieve our targets and we will keep working until the very end, we are close.”

Elsewhere, Augusto Fernandez will continue development duties on Yamaha’s V4 test bike, while Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu LCR Honda) looks to turn home advantage into a points finish after two previous Moto2 top tens at Sepang.

Augusto Fernandez

“I’m happy to be back racing. After the GP in Misano, it has been a long time, but I’m very excited about the upcoming weekend. We will keep improving the package of our V4-powered prototype. We’re back on track and racing again. I missed riding the V4-powered prototype so much, and I can’t wait to start the weekend and see what’s possible. But, of course, it’s going to be another weekend of developing the prototype bike, so the main target is to be ready for the next season.”

Bouncing Back

Further down the order, several riders are looking to put tough weekends behind them. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing) endured a rough outing at Phillip Island but remains fifth overall, 25 points clear of Acosta.

Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) will also be looking to rebound after crashing out in Australia, while Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) aims to build on his first points finish since Barcelona.

Ai Ogura

“I’m really excited for Malaysia. We have done a total of six days of testing here last winter and for a rookie season, this is quite rare that I can race at a circuit I already rode before on a MotoGP bike. I can’t wait to see how the weekend goes, how much I can ride in a better way than in the pre-season. The conditions will be totally different from Australia to Malaysia but Sepang is one of my favorite circuits, so I’ll just try to adapt as quick as I can from Friday morning and then we will build up our performance. Just can’t wait to start the weekend.”

For Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha), the home round hangover continues after crashing on Sunday despite a strong Sprint showing.

Jack Miller

“The home GP was an intense one, a real rollercoaster of emotions. Even though it didn‘t end the way we had all hoped, it was amazing to feel the love and support from so many fans who came from all over Australia to cheer for us. With that same energy, we‘re now focusing on the next challenge, one of the most technically complete circuits on the calendar, where we hope to showcase the strengths of the YZR-M1.”

Miller’s teammate Miguel Oliveira has quietly built a six-race points streak, his best run since 2022, and returns to the site of his 2017 Moto2 win.

The heat, the humidity, and the ever-unpredictable form book make Sepang a fitting final stop on MotoGP’s flyaway swing.

MotoGP Championship Standings

Constructor Championship

Team Championship

Pos	Team	Points
1	Ducati Lenovo Team	819
2	BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP	562
3	Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team	424
4	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	359
5	Aprilia Racing	324
6	Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team	226
7	Trackhouse MotoGP Team	219
8	Honda HRC Castrol	197
9	Red Bull KTM Tech3	191
10	LCR Honda	134
11	Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP	105

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Moto2

The Moto2 World Championship title race is going right down to the wire. Just two points separate Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) as the series heads to Sepang. Their duel intensified after a tense battle at Phillip Island, where Moreira’s third place and Gonzalez’s seventh trimmed the gap to almost nothing. With only three rounds remaining, it’s officially gloves off between the two young stars as every single point matters.

Behind them, the chase group of Aron Canet and Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing), along with Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), are clinging to their slim mathematical hopes. Canet sits 35 points adrift, Baltus 42, and Dixon 57, meaning only a major swing in fortunes at Sepang will keep their title chances alive.

Momentum with Moreira, Pressure on Gonzalez

After a disqualification and a seventh-place finish in his last two outings, Gonzalez is feeling the pressure to halt Moreira’s charge. The Brazilian has found form at the perfect time with calm racecraft and consistency in recent weeks. A repeat of his Phillip Island podium could well see him take the lead for the first time this season.

For Gonzalez, Sepang represents a pivotal opportunity to respond, a circuit known for punishing mistakes and rewarding precision. The two-point margin ensures the championship dynamic could flip with even the smallest misstep.

Agius and Alonso Add Spice to the Front

While the title battle dominates the headlines, Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) stole the show at Phillip Island with a commanding home victory, his first in Moto2 and a landmark result for the Australian. If he can carry that form to Malaysia, he could easily play the spoiler between the championship contenders.

David Alonso (CFMOTO RCB Aspar Team) also arrives on a high after scoring his third podium of the season. The 2024 Moto3 World Champion continues to make impressive progress in his rookie Moto2 campaign and could be a dark horse for another top-three finish.

Three rounds, two points, and one clear truth: there’s no margin for error in Moto2. As the heat and humidity of Sepang add another layer to the pressure, the title fight between Gonzalez and Moreira is set to reach boiling point.

Moto2 Championship Standings

Pos	Rider	Points
1	M. Gonzalez	247
2	D. Moreira	245
3	A. Canet	212
4	B. Baltus	205
5	J. Dixon	190
6	D. Holgado	166
7	C. Vietti	141
8	S. Agius	133
9	A. Arenas	127
10	D. Alonso	117
11	D. Öncü	100
12	I. Guevara	99
13	J. Roberts	97
14	M. Ramirez	96
15	F. Salac	82
16	A. Lopez	76
17	I. Ortola	67
18	T. Arbolino	63
19	C. Veijer	57
20	A. Huertas	27
21	A. Sasaki	24
22	D. Muñoz	23
23	D. Binder	19
24	Z. Vd Goorbergh	19
25	A. Escrig	10
26	M. Aji	8
27	O. Gutierrez	4
28	S. Garcia	3
29	J. Navarro	3
30	Y. Kunii	0
31	E. Fernandez	0
32	U. Orradre	0
33	N. Atiratphuvapat	0
34	T. Hada	0
35	A. Ferrandez	0
36	M. Pasini	0
37	H. Voight	0
38	A. Surra	0

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Moto3

Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) arrives in Malaysia already crowned World Champion, but with no sign of slowing down. His latest victory at Phillip Island was his tenth of the season, joining an elite group of riders to reach double figures in a single Moto3 campaign. Another win at Sepang would only further underline a dominant 2025 season.

Behind the runaway champion, the fight for second in the standings is heating up. Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) are now separated by just three points, setting up a tense showdown across the final three rounds.

Rookie Race Still Alive

Quiles also has the chance to seal the Rookie of the Year title this weekend, though teammate Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will be determined to keep the fight alive. Carpe’s return to the podium in Australia, his first since Mugello, has reignited his form, but he must leave Malaysia within 50 points of Quiles to keep the rookie race going. At present, the gap stands at 55, making Sepang a decisive round for the Ajo youngster.

Kelso, Furusato, and a Local Debut to Watch

Fresh off his home podium at Phillip Island, Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) will be hoping to carry that confidence into another strong weekend, while Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) aims to replicate his second-place finish at Sepang from last year.

Jacob Roulstone was left ruing what might have been after forging his way forward at Phillip Island only to get brought undone by a gust of wind that blew his podium chances into the weeds. The Australian is out for redemption this weekend.

Seventeen-year-old Brian Uriarte will replace the injured David Muñoz on the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP machine.

Adding extra excitement for local fans, Hakim Danish (AEON Credit SIC Racing MSI) will make his Grand Prix debut at his home round. The 16-year-old Malaysian steps up after finishing third overall in the 2025 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, making him one to watch on home soil.

Moto3 Championship Standings

Pos	Rider	Points
1	J. Rueda	365
2	A. Piqueras	231
3	M. Quiles	228
4	D. Muñoz	197
5	J. Kelso	179
6	A. Carpe	173
7	A. Fernandez	147
8	R. Yamanaka	123
9	V. Perrone	121
10	T. Furusato	115
11	D. Almansa	110
12	L. Lunetta	104
13	G. Pini	97
14	D. Foggia	94
15	J. Roulstone	61
16	M. Bertelle	55
17	S. Nepa	46
18	S. Ogden	45
19	C. Buchanan	32
20	N. Carraro	27
21	R. Rossi	24
22	M. Uriarte	22
23	J. Esteban	20
24	R. Moodley	14
25	A. Cruces	13
26	V. Perez	7
27	M. Morelli	5
28	C. O’Gorman	3
29	E. O’Shea	1
30	T. Buasri	1
31	N. Dettwiler	0
32	J. Rosenthaler	0
33	L. Phommara	0
34	A. Aditama	0
35	B. Uriarte	0
36	L. Abruzzo	0
37	M. Cook	0

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2025 MotoGP Calendar

GP	Date	Location
1	Mar-02	Thai GP, Chang
2	Mar-16	Argentina GP, Termas De Rio Hondo
3	Mar-30	Americas GP, COTA
4	Apr-13	Qatar GP, Lusail
5	Apr-27	Spanish GP, Jerez
6	May-11	French GP, Le Mans
7	May-25	British GP, Silverstone
8	Jun-08	Aragon GP, Aragon
9	Jun-22	Italian GP, Mugello
10	Jun-29	Dutch GP, Assen
11	Jul-13	German GP, Sachsenring
12	Jul-20	Czech GP, Brno
13	Aug-17	Austrian GP, Spielberg
14	Aug-24	Hungarian GP, Balaton Park
15	Sep-07	Catalan GP, Catalunya
16	Sep-14	San Marino GP, Misano
17	Sep-28	Japanese GP, Motegi
18	Oct-05	Indonesian GP, Mandalika
19	Oct-19	Australian GP, Phillip Island
20	Oct-26	Malaysian GP, Sepang
21	Nov-09	Portuguese GP, Portimao
22	Nov-16	Valencia GP, Valencia

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