The Red Bull KTM MotoGP Factory Racing team today took their seventh top ten finish in their debut season of MotoGP racing as Pol Espargaro clinched tenth in the Malaysian Grand Prix with team mate Bradley Smith not far behind him in twelfth.
SEVENTH TOP 10 IN MOTOGP AND ANOTHER 1-2 IN MOTO2 FOR RED BULL KTM TEAM AT MALAYSIA



Espargaro: “It was not easy as these wet races here are quite long, at times feeling like they’re never going to finish, but I felt good at the start battling with Rossi early on even if I maybe lost a bit of time fighting with him. Then I got my rhythm and got into the top ten with my target a ninth but Vinales overtook me...but hey, just saying ‘Vinales overtook me on the last lap’ means we were fighting against someone of that level and that is something of which I’m proud. Obviously we want to improve but it’s been a long way since we did our first race in MotoGP with KTM and I think the progression we are doing is unbelievable, so this is another result for the team and the factory in Austria before we go to the last race in Valencia.”
Moto2
In Moto2, KTM had their second 1-2 finish in just one week as Miguel Oliveira took another lights to flag victory aboard his Red Bull Ajo KTM Moto2 with his team mate Brad Binder on his tail in second place. For a motorcycle that had never turned a wheel at the 5.5km race track before Friday morning, the result is even more impressive, just as it was seven days ago in Australia when the two riders took KTM’s debut win in the class.
Oliveira: "Today I had to give everything, I can hardly speak. This was not the strategy I had in mind before we started, as Franco (Morbidelli) and Brad (Binder) had a very good pace, so my plan was to ride behind them. But I saw that I could give a little more on the first few laps and I went for it. I gave everything I had and I am very proud to have succeeded. At the beginning of the season I did not imagine that we would be able to achieve these results. I thought we would be competitive but not that we would do so well. We deserve this end to the season."
Aki Ajo (Team Manager Moto2): "The Moto2 race was incredible. I don’t know what to say. I don’t think I can even believe it; it is much more than we could have imagined. We are already very motivated to do well in the future, but this result is an extra bonus. This is a long-term project to fight for the World Championship one day, and this is without a doubt the way forward. Again, I want to thank personally and on behalf of the team, the great partners who support us like Red Bull, KTM, and all the partners for letting us be part of this great project. I also want to thank the riders, Miguel (Oliveira) and Brad (Binder). They are just incredible."
Moto3
Under scorching sunny skies the leading KTM RC250 GP rider over the line was Italian Grand Prix winner Andrea Migno on what was not an easy race for those who didn’t catch the faster guys at the front. A great start for Red Bull Ajo’s Bo Bendsneyder saw him second in the early laps but it was a difficult day for the tall rider who suffered on the long straights where slipstreaming is so essential. Come the flag he was tenth just twelve seconds back of a scintillating battle for the lead. Team mate Niccolo Antonelli had an unlucky tumble when in seventh place leaving the pair to move on to the last race in Spain.
Next Race: November 12, 2017 – Circuit Ricardo Tormo (ESP)
Results Race MotoGP Sepang International Circuit 2017
1. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA), Ducati, 44:51.497 min (20 laps)
2. Jorge Lorenzo (ITA), Ducati, +0.743 sec
3. Johann Zarco (FRA), Yamaha, +9.738
4. Marc Marquez (ESP), Honda, +17.763
5. Dani Pedrosa (ESP), Honda, +29.144
10. Pol Espargaro (ESP), KTM, +39.847
12. Bradley Smith (GBR), KTM, +44.602
Standings MotoGP 2017 after 17 of 18 races
1. Marquez, 282 points
2. Dovizioso, 261
3. Maverick Viñales (ESP), Yamaha, 226
4. Valentino Rossi (ITA), Yamaha, 197
5. Pedrosa, 185
16. Espargaro, 55
22. Smith, 24
24. Mika Kallio (FIN), KTM, 11
Results Race Moto2 Sepang International Circuit 2017
1. Miguel Oliveira (POR), KTM, 40:28.955 min (19 laps)
2. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +2.387 sec
3. Franco Morbidelli (ITA), Kalex, +6.878
4. Mattia Pasini (ITA), Kalex, +21.774
5. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Kalex, +22.086
Standings Moto2 2017 after 17 of 18 races
1. Morbidelli, 288 points (2017 Moto2 World Champion)
2. Tom Luethi (SUI), Kalex, 243
3. Oliveira, 216
4. Alex Marquez (ESP), Kalex, 190
5. Bagnaia, 161
9. Binder, 109
Results Race Moto3 Sepang International Circuit 2017
1. Joan Mir (ESP), Honda, 40:15.545 min (18 laps)
2. Jorge Martin (ESP), Honda, +0.724 sec
3. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Honda, +0.763
4. Livio Loi (BEL), Honda, +6.868
5. John McPhee (GBR), Honda, +11.051
KTM
6. Andrea Migno (ITA), KTM +11.090
10. Bo Bendsneyder (NED), KTM, +12.062
DNF Niccolo Antonelli (ITA), KTM, +10 laps
Standings Moto3 2017 after 17 of 18 rounds
1. Mir, 321 points
2. Romano Fenati (ITA), Honda, 235
3. Aron Canet (ESP), Honda, 192
4. Martin, 171
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (ITA), Honda, 153
KTM
8. Migno, 118
9. Marcos Ramirez (ESP), KTM, 107
10. Philipp Oettl (GER), KTM, 104
15. Bendsneyder, 61
18. Antonelli, 36