The 2025 MotoGP season nears its end as the paddock arrives at its final destination of the Asian fly-away races for the Malaysian Grand Prix.
With newly-crowned World Champion Marc Marquez set to miss the rest of the season, the spotlight will be on his nearest challengers in the hunt for victory at the Sepang International Circuit. A track blessed with fast, flowing turns and long straights, as well as unpredictable weather and passionate fans.
The previous round in Australia saw a second-straight maiden premier class winner in Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez, after rookie Fermin Aldeguer stunned the grid in Indonesia. Will the surprises continue in Round 20, or will the top dogs restore the natural order?
The favourites for Malaysian glory
Going off the current formbook, Aprilia superstar Marco Bezzecchi is one of the clear favourites for victory in the absence of Marc Marquez. The 26-year-old Italian has been the outright fastest man in the field during the last couple of races, with supreme confidence and an RS-GP25 that appears to be the top bike in the premier class.
If not for his lap one error in Indonesia, which penalised him in Australia (and ended Marc Marquez’s year), Bezzecchi would surely have swept both sprints and feature races in the last two rounds.
Embed from Getty ImagesDucati’s hopes rest on the shoulders of Gresini’s Alex Marquez, who has a strong pedigree in Malaysia. Firmly secure in the runner-up spot in the standings, the younger of the Marquez brothers was the fastest man in the pre-season test back in February, and delivered some of his best premier class performances here, pre-2025.
In contrast, Bezzecchi and Aprilia struggled during the test but improved considerably since, setting up a tasty duel between the pair.
Yamaha superstar Fabio Quartararo will hope that Yamaha’s good pace in the pre-season test leads to a much-needed return to the podium. KTM’s Pedro Acosta aims to continue the streak of first-time winners after fellow Spaniards, Fernandez and Aldeguer.
As for the remaining half of the Factory Ducati pair, Pecco Bagnaia’s difficult season continues after another anonymous showing at Phillip Island. With still no answers in sight, it feels impossible to say whether we will see the version of Pecco that won so dominantly in Motegi, or the one who is a shadow of the two-time MotoGP Champion.
Another dramatic tale in Sepang history?
Sepang has hosted many iconic and dramatic races since its debut in 1999, including arguably the sport’s most infamous race just 10 years ago.
The 2015 event was forever defined by a clash that sparked an intense feud between motorcycle racing’s two greatest figures: Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez. A battle, fueled by on and off-track drama, led to an incident that left a permanent mark on MotoGP, a broken relationship that never healed, and endless hatred between fanbases that may never go away.
Last season’s Malaysian Grand Prix also had its fair share of moments, with a memorable tussle between then-title rivals Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia. The pair delivered a show to remember in the opening laps, with many overtakes that left fans on the edge of their seats. While Bagnaia won that battle on his way to race victory, his crash during the sprint race was the fatal blow to his 2024 title defence, costing him 12 vital points that would hand Martin the championship by 10 in Valencia.
Other memorable races include a 2022 showdown between Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini, Andrea Dovizioso’s wet-race masterclass in 2016, Rossi’s title-sealing rides in 2005 and 2009, and a tense 2018 rematch between Rossi and Marquez.
