Red Bull KTM completed the overseas stint of the 2025 MotoGP calendar with a battling performance by Pedro Acosta and another runner-up trophy as the Spaniard took his KTM RC16 to 2nd spot at Sepang International Circuit. Round 20 of 22 took place at the 5.5km venue and in hot and humid conditions for the 25th Malaysian Grand Prix at the venue. Enea Bastianini was the next best finisher in Red Bull KTM Tech3 colors with a lively flight from 19th to 7th place.
A bumper Sunday crowd at Sepang sought shelter and shade from sunny 35-degree temperatures at the site south of Kuala Lumpur. Tire preservation for the full duration of the 20-lap race distance was critical for all the riders. Pedro Acosta made his usual lively start and was into the podium places immediately and dueled for P2. Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini had to mix a strong pace from the outset to regain ground while also saving rubber, Binder in particular snared six places on the first lap. Pol Espargaro was swiftly on the edge of the top ten from his grid slot of 12th but tumbled out of the race on the fifth lap.
By mid-race distance Bastianini had worked his way up to the wheels of Binder in P11 as the pair tussled in the third group. Their smooth and smart approach paid dividends as they found further overtaking spots and arrived to P7 and P9 respectively. Acosta meanwhile pursued P2 with relish and made the break with three laps to go. Pedro was just over 2.5 seconds from the win and uncorked his fourth Prosecco bottle of the season. Acosta remains steady with 5th place in the championship standings.
The championship will enter its last respite before the final back-to-back dates. The Algarve International Circuit hosts the Grand Prix of Portugal from November 7-9 followed by the Valencian round at the Circuito de Ricardo Tormo a week later.
Pedro Acosta, 2nd and 5th in the championship standings: “It was a tough race but we put the power back into my hands and to let me manage it. It was hard to ride there in P3 but when the pace dropped a bit I could go ahead. I wanted to be at the front from the beginning. I was waiting for my moment and not making mistakes. It worked and I’m happy! Together with the team we are doing a good job and we just have to keep going.”
Enea Bastianini, 7th and 14th in the championship standings: “Starting from Friday I was missing confidence but we solved problems in the Sprint race and then again this morning to make the top ten. Coming back from 19th is so difficult but I gave 100%. I took many positions but the temperature of the tires was going up and up. Anyway, I’m happy with the work we did with the team and what we could do finally in the race.”
Brad Binder, 9th and 12th in the championship standings: “It was a bit of a challenge starting in 18th place and it was a decent-enough come back but I would have preferred better. I knew it was a race where we really had to manage the tires and I got the rear to the end OK. After the drama of the Sprint I had a normal bike again today and everything felt good. I was a bit nervy but didn’t end up in the same situation as Saturday which was good. In general, we just need to find a bit of extra speed to qualify better and then race better.”
Pol Espargaro, DNF: “Physically OK but emotionally it’s hard to crash so early in the race. We need to take the positives we had another top ten in our hands and I think we had good speed today. The bike was working well, just a small mistake of 2 degrees can change things and it did on Sunday. After Saturday and qualifying and the contact in the Sprint and the crash today; sometimes it’s not your weekend! But we had top ten speed and that’s what matters in the end. We had worked a lot to be smooth and easy on the throttle. When I was with Brad I was perhaps ‘chilling’ a bit too much. Then in that corner I was maybe not in the right position. But…we all did a good job, especially Pedro.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Today was a great day for us in Sepang even if the weekend had begun as a challenge. Managing the tires was the key and the way our riders and all of our technicians handled the situation means Pedro’s second position really feels like a win. How he managed the race today was something beautiful and to have three riders in the top ten was also very positive: Enea also a great race as Brad improved a lot compared to yesterday. Unfortunately, Pol had a crash but we have to thank him for replacing Maverick again and he did a great job. It is time once more to thank everyone who is working on this project: all those at the track, all those at the factory and, of course, our partners. We have had some tough days this year but moments like today make the tough ones important. We will keep working and we will never give up.”
Results MotoGP Grand Prix of Malaysia
1. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati 40:09.249
2. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +2.676
3. Joan Mir (ESP) Honda +8.048
7. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +15.299
9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +18.932
DNF. Pol Espargaro (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3
World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 545 points
2. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 413
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Aprilia, 291
5. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 260
12. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 133
14. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 106
17. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 72
KTM GP Academy
Moto3 began with world champion Jose Antonio Rueda out of action after a collision on the Sighting lap. Rueda had initially been due to start from 3rd on the grid and was later confirmed to have suffered a fractured hand and a concussion. Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Alvaro Carpe launched from 6th and Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Valentin Perrone starting from 7th: both the Spaniard and the Argentine discovering the Malaysian course for the first time. Perrone lacked the presence of teammate Jacob Roulstone who unfortunately suffered a fractured bone in his left hand after a crash on Friday.
The race had been shorted from 15 to 10 laps after the initial drama. The leading pack in Moto3 thrived with slipstreaming and different line choice in several corners towards the end of the 15-turn layout. Carpe and Perrone fought in the second group and for the top five. At the line Carpe secured P6 with six riders separated by one second. Perrone finished P10.
Moto2 initially increased the action to 17 laps and with Daniel Muñoz holding a promising view of the track from 5th on the grid. The Spaniard had a technical issue and had to set-off for the warm-up lap from the pitlane which meant a double long lap penalty. A subsequent red flag removed the handicap and he was free to vie for the top ten for a shorter 11-lap duration. Fellow rookie Collin Veijer was not far behind in 13th on the grid and joined his teammate on track. By the conclusion of the race, it was Daniel who classified ahead with P7 and Collin was P9.
Results Moto3 Grand Prix of Malaysia
1. Taiyo Furusato (JPN), Honda 22:03.888
2. Angel Piqueras (ESP), KTM +2.259
3. Adrian Fernandez (ESP), Honda +2.625
6. Alvaro Carpe (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +4.429
7. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team +4.496
10. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +6.309
17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team +19.512
DNS. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo
DNS. Jacob Roulstone (AUS), Red Bull KTM Tech3
World Championship standings Moto3
1. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo 365 points
2. Angel Piqueras (ESP), KTM, 251
3. Maximo Quiles (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 237
6. Alvaro Carpe (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 183
10. Valentin Perrone (ARG) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 127
14. Dennis Foggia (ITA) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 94
15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS), Red Bull KTM Tech3, 61
Results Moto2 Grand Prix of Malaysia
1. Jake Dixon (GBR) 23:05.269
2. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Aspar Team +2.035
3. Barry Baltus (BEL) +2.745
4. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team +4.358
7. Daniel Muñoz (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +7.699
9. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo +10.070
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Diogo Moreira (BRA), 256 points
2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP), 247
3. Barry Baltus (BEL), 221
6. Daniel Holgado (ESP) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 179
8. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO Aspar Team, 137
12. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 100
19. Collin Veijer (NED) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 64