Francesco Bagnaia returns to pole positions for the first time since the MotoGP Catalunya GP. The championship leader was the strongest in the qualifying session for the Malaysian GP with a new lap record at Sepang.
After the initial flying laps, Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team/Ducati) led ahead of Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati) and Álex Márquez (Gresini/Ducati), with Bagnaia in fourth on the official Ducati.
About seven minutes before the checkered flag, Martín took the lead with a new lap record at Sepang: 1m57.549s. The bar was set high for his rivals. Enea Bastianini (Ducati) closed in, taking second place from Marini, who then fell at turn nine with two minutes to go.
On his last lap, Martín also crashed, with no consequences other than being unable to improve. He was overtaken by Bagnaia, who, with his final effort, was 58 thousandths of a second faster, securing the pole position. Martín will start from second, and Bastianini from third, with Álex Márquez in fourth. To find the best non-Ducati, you have to go back to seventh place, occupied by Brad Binder of Red Bull KTM.
Q2 results:
Overall qualifying results: