Moto2 Malaysia Sepang Race: Brad Binder winner, Álex Márquez World Champion!

Championship leader Álex Márquez qualified on pole position for the sixth time this season and for the second time in a row at the Malaysian Grand Prix. He crossed the line at Sepang in seventh place last year, equaling his best result on the track in the Moto2 class from 2016.

This is the 15th pole position ofAlex Marquez in Grand Prix and 12th since his first place in the Moto2 category in 2015. In his 11 previous Moto2 pole positions, Márquez has been on the podium seven times, including four victories.

Only three riders have achieved their pole position at Sepang in Moto2: Tom Luthi (2011) Tito Rabat (2013) et Johann zarco (2016). Is the grid leader position a poisoned chalice for the Marc VDS Racing driver who can be World Champion at the end of this race in Sepang? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts.

Moto2 Sepang™	2018	2019
FP1	2'08.351 Alex Marquez	2'06.300 Tetsuta Nagashima
FP2	2'06.928 Alex Marquez	2'05.968 Jorge Martin
FP3	2'07.768 Alex Marquez	2'04.769 Brad Binder
Q1	XXX	2'05.897 Augusto Fernández
Q2	2'05.629 Alex Marquez	2'05.244 Alex Marquez
Warm-up	2'23.985 Andrea Locatelli	2'05.904 Luca Marini
Course	Marini, Oliveira, Bagnaia	Binder, Marquez, Lüthi
All time lap record	2'05.629 Alex Márquez (2018)	2'04.769 Brad Binder

Tetsuta nagashima qualified in second place. This is his third front row start of his Grand Prix career. Third in the championship, Brad Binder is in third place. In his four previous appearances on the front row, he finished on the podium, including three victories.

Second in the championship, Tom Luthi, who won the Moto2 race at Sepang in 2011, qualified in fifth place, which is his best qualifying result since he was in the same position in Aragón. Previously, his best qualifying performance was a second place in Catalunya.

On the podium of the last two races, George Martin, qualified on pole and won the race to clinch the Moto3 title last year at Sepang. He is sixth. This is the third time in his rookie season that he has been in the top two ranks, with Thailand and Australia. He is third in the ranking of beginners of the year and 18 points behind the leader Fabio Di Giannantonio, 11th in the world rankings.

Jorge Navarro, fourth in the championship and last driver mathematically contending for the title, qualified 15th after a fall in Q2. This is only the third time this year that he has failed to qualify on the first four rows of the grid.

It's 33,9 degrees in the air and 50,3 degrees on the track. The sky is partially cloudy, the sun still peeking here and there. The drivers will have 18 laps to seek victory.

It's gone and it's Binder who comes out in the lead at the end of the first turn in front Márquez et Nagashima. Lüthi and Virgin point 4th and 5th. Lowes shoot straight.

Martin is fighting with the other rookie By Giannantonio, it is the Speed ​​Up driver who emerges victorious however. Fall of Bendsneyder in turn 15. By Giannantonio also made a mistake in turn 4. He returned to the track.

bastianini goes to the mat in turn 15.

Martin also falls in turn 15. There are no more rookies on the track. There is a fight between Lüthi and Virgin but it's Lüthi who in this little game emerges victorious.

Devant Binder misses braking in turn 14, he swerves and sees him slip away Márquez who benefits from the windfall.

More Binder made the effort and gradually returned to the wheel of the Spanish driver. Behind Nagashima tries to take the wheel of the KTM rider to be in the same rhythm. Lüthi et Virgin are 4th and 5th.

kick of Norrodin in turn 4.

Binder shows his fangs, he has returned to contact with driver Marc VDS. Márquez made a mistake but which did not benefit the South African driver.

The pressure is strong on Márquez et Binder carries an attack, he slips through a mouse hole, he takes control of the race.

Nagashima makes a dumpling, Lüthi take the opportunity to pass it. He goes back on Márquez .

kick of Chantra in turn 15.

The top 10 is as follows with 10 laps to go: Binder, Márquez, Lüthi, Nagashima, Virgo, Lecuona, Navarro, Baldassarri, Marini and Bezzecchi.

kick of Manzi in turn 2. Bezzecchi also falls in turn 2.

5 more laps and ahead Binder stands firm against a Marquez who gives everything but who fails to catch up with the KTM. Lüthi, 3rd, returns to his wheel. Virgin got rid of Nagashima to now place 4th.

kick of Lowes which leads to its fall Gardner in turn 9.

Victory of Binder before Marquez and Lüthi. Márquez is crowned Moto2 world champion.Virgo and Navarro finished 4th and 5th.