as perfect timing as he's now
heavily linked to the slot on the
Mooney VR46 Ducati alongside
Marco Bezzecchi for 2024.
There was drama from the
off as polesitter Aldeguer and
Manuel Gonzalez (Correos
Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team)
made contact on the exit of turn
one, which saw the latter crash
out. Everyone managed to avoid
the Spaniard, but one rider who
had to take evading action was
Acosta's chief title rival, Tony Ar
-
bolino (Marc VDS Racing Kalex).
The Italian lost
ground and was
down to seventh, with Acosta
capitalizing on Gonzalez's mis
-
fortunes to climb up to second.
On
lap two, desperate to
pick off the riders ahead of
him, Arbolino's slim title hopes
vanished when he made small
contact with Ai Ogura's (Idemit
-
su Honda Team Asia) rear wheel
at turn nine, then
more contact
with Aron Canet (Pons Wegow
Los40). Arbolino ran onto the
grass and dropped out of the
top 20, his 2023 title challenge
over.
At the front, Aldeguer was op
-
erating on another level. By lap
four,
the Spaniard was over two
seconds clear of Acosta, who
in turn was over a second up
the road from Ramirez. Alonso
Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up)
was fourth and had Ogura and
Jake Dixon (Inde GasGas Aspar
Team) for company, with Sam
Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing
Team) and Somkiat Chantra
(Idemitsu Honda Team Asia)
just slightly adrift.
Aldeguer's lead kept grow
-
ing and with seven laps left, six
ro,
Bezzecchi, Franco Morbidelli
(Monster Energy Yamaha),
Miller, Di Giannantonio and Luca
Marini completed the top 10.
In the points, Bagnaia holds
the cards at 412 from Martin's
398. Bezzecchi is now out of it
with 323.
MOTO2
In a race so devoid of action it
could have put a meth addict
to sleep, the Moto2 class saw
Fermin Aldeguer take his third
win of the season, which came
from the start as in qualifying,
maintaining the gap, but I was
totally at the limit, and couldn't
give anything more, but in the
end, the victory came. I think that
something exploded inside me
this weekend, and I went back to
having fun. I've always said that
when you get back to having fun,
you also go a lot faster."
Second was Marquez for his
second podium of the weekend
from Bagnaia, who bolstered
his title lead to 14 points over
fourth-placed Martin. Quartara
-
ROUND 18 / NOVEMBER 10-12, 2023
SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT / SELANGOR, MALAYSIA
MOTOGP I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
P76
MotoGP Sunday Grand Prix
Despite the odds,
Bagnaia left Sepang,
increasing his title lead
with two rounds to go.
