Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS driver Franco Morbidelli coped wonderfully with the delicate conditions in which the Malaysian Grand Prix took place today to claim a magnificent second place.
This is the fourth time this season that the Italian has found himself fighting for first place and there is no doubt that his first Grand Prix victory is not far away. Since his third place at Assen last June, Morbidelli has been on the podium seven times.
Starting from the second row of the grid, Morbidelli led the race for thirteen laps on a wet track before Johann Zarco overtook him at turn four to cruise to victory. An overtake which allowed the Frenchman to win his second Moto2 world champion title in Malaysia.
At the end of the race, Morbidelli found himself fighting for second place when Folger attacked him. But the Italian held off the German superbly to take the second step on the podium.
Starting in a cloud of water from 21st place on the grid, Alex Marquez tamed the elements to slip through the traffic and return to 12th position even before the end of the first lap. By the eighth lap, the Spaniard was in fifth place after making a series of daring overtakes. Fighting with Syarhin, Baldassari, Lüthi and Simeon, Marquez will cross the finish line in seventh position.
With now 197 points, Morbidelli is only six points behind Alex Rins. The battle for third place in the general classification will be settled during the next and final race in Valencia.
Franco Morbidelli :2e
“I would have preferred Johann to settle for second place which was enough for him to win the title! In any case, I congratulate him on his success. I was really fast and comfortable at the start of the race when the track was wet but a little less so when it started to dry. I then had difficulty following Johann when he overtook me. I nevertheless finished second, which is a good result for the team and for me. I will go to Valencia with full confidence and I will do everything to try to get this third final place. »
Alex Marquez :7e
“I'm happy because I had a good race even though I started from the back of the grid. I took a few risks on the first lap after undoubtedly having the best start of my career in Moto2. I managed to get back to fifth place, but then the track started to dry and having put a lot of strain on my tires I lost two positions. Considering the problems I had in qualifying, it's a good result. I found my best level again. We will now have a few days to breathe before the final in Valencia where I would like to end the season on a good note. »
Michael Bartholemy : Team Principal
“Franco and Alex both had a great race. I knew that if the track dried out Johann Zarco would have a better pace at the end. This podium is in any case a great reward for the whole team. It's good to return to Europe with plenty of points because Franco can now claim third place in the general classification in Valencia. Alex was poorly placed on the grid due to a poor choice of tires in qualifying but he performed despite a very good race, fighting like a lion with a hell of a group of opponents. Finally, congratulations to Johann Zarco for his second Moto2 world champion title. »
