P1racenews AI automatic summary:
A relatively off-colour MotoGP sprint at Sepang for championship leader Pecco Bagnaia could’ve been even worse if factory team-mate Enea Bastianini didn’t accept finishing behind him
Pecco Bagnaia had a challenging MotoGP race at Sepang, but it could have been worse if his factory teammate, Enea Bastianini, hadn’t accepted finishing behind him. Bastianini, who has faced difficulties this season with his Ducati GP23, had one of his better showings at the Malaysian Grand Prix, starting on the front row and eventually finishing in fourth place. Despite catching up to Bagnaia, he never seriously challenged for third, opting not to take any unnecessary risks. There is no evidence of Ducati giving orders to Bastianini, but the team expects its riders to race each other differently compared to rival bikes. Bastianini acknowledged that staying behind Bagnaia was the better decision for both of them and for the team, given the potential danger and the shared issue of critical front tires. Last year, Bastianini was more aggressive in his pursuit of a win at Sepang, but his situation as a satellite rider with a works team was different then.
Forrás: The Race
