Francesco Bagnaia and the Ducati Lenovo Team win the Sepang Sprint starting from pole. Michele Pirro finishes twentieth

• Alex Márquez, on the podium in second with the Ducati of the Gresini Racing Team, clinches the runner-up spot in the World Championship standings
• Fermín Aldeguer (Gresini Racing Team) secures the ‘Rookie of the Year’ title

The Ducati Lenovo Team enjoyed a dominant Saturday at the Sepang International Circuit courtesy of Francesco Bagnaia, who came out victorious in the Sprint from pole position. Michele Pirro completed the encounter in twentieth place.

Bagnaia, who took pole after progressing through Q1, had an excellent start to the race and gradually pulled away from his opponents lap after lap up to the chequered flag. This is Pecco’s second win of the season in a Saturday race. Michele Pirro, twenty-second on the grid, finished twentieth at the flag.

The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action tomorrow morning at 9:40 local time (GMT +8) for the warm-up, followed by the Grand Prix of Malaysia, which will be contested over a 20-lap distance from 15:00.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st
“This win is for the team, who work tirelessly. This season we’ve been alternating between excellent performances and very complicated moments, and all together we’re trying to find the reason behind these ups and downs. After yesterday’s difficulties in the time attack, we made some adjustments that helped me quite a bit, both in qualifying and in the Sprint. We had a small issue that limited me a little under braking, but I still managed to be incisive – and the feeling was good.”

Michele Pirro (#51 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 20th
“It was a tough and hot race, but if I look at the overall gap I had in the Australian Sprint, we made significant steps forward. The level of this MotoGP is extremely high and my role is different from the other riders’, so I focused on keeping a consistent pace and managing the tyre wear. I’m super happy about Pecco’s result; it was great to see him competitive again.”