Malaysian MotoGP Rider Ratings: One 10/10 and a lowest grade of the season for a Honda rider

mahbx.com run through the rider ratings for the Malaysian MotoGP after Enea Bastianini took his first win of 2022. 
Enea Bastianini, Ducati MotoGP Sepang 2023
Enea Bastianini, Ducati MotoGP Sepang 2023

Enea Bastianini - 10

(Qualified 3rd, finished 1st)

(Sprint race result - P4)

After choosing not to attack his team-mate in the sprint, Bastianini made a lightning start in the main race as he dominated every lap. A performance we became used to seeing in 2022, Bastianini responded in perfect fashion to the pressure put on him by Ducati, who admitted on S꧋aturday that they were considering swapping Jorge Martin for ‘The Beast’. 

Alex Marquez - 9.5

(Qualified 4th, finished 2nd)

(Sprint race result - P1)

Marquez was sensational in the sprint as he won his second race of the season. Marquez then delivered another very strong ride on Sunday although it w🐻asn’t enough to challenge Bastianini who had him covered. 

Francesco Bagnaia - 8.5

(Qualified 1st, finished 3rd)

(Sprint race result - P3)

After losing points to title rival Jorge Martin in the sprint race, Bagnaia was stern in his defence against the Spaniard in the Grand Prix. Three attempts at taking third away from the reigning world champion were made by Martin, but Bagnaia had an answer on every occasion before pulling clear of the Pramac ri𝔉der. 

Francesco Bagnaia, MotoGP race, Malaysia MotoGP, 12 November
Francesco Bagnaia, MotoGP race, Malaysia MotoGP, 12 November

Jorge Martin - 8

(Qualified 2nd, finished 4th)

(Sprint race result - P2)

A very good Saturday diꦐdn’t translate into the result expected on Sunday as Martin failed to beat Bagnaia for the fourth consecutive race. As a result, Martin 𒆙lost three points in the championship fight. 

Fabio Quartararo - 7.5

(Qualified 16th, finished 5th)

(Sprint race result - P5)

After calling the opening few corners ‘the worst of my life’ in the sprint, Quartararo bounced back to secure a brilliant P5 finish in the main race. Quartararo was the fastest rider in the s⭕econd group as he made passes on Jack Miller and Marco Bezzecchi in the closing stages. 

Marco Bezzecchi - 7

(Qualified 6th, finished 6th) 

(Sprint race result - P7)

A solid weekend for Bezzecci who is still not at 100%, however, his inability to figh☂t the top four meant he is now officially out of title contention.

Franco Morbidelli - 6.5

(Qualified 15th, finished 7th)

(Sprint race result - P11)

After a dis꧒appointing qualifying Morbidelli showed great pace in both races, particularly the main race as he moved up to fifth, just two spots behind Quartararo.

Franco Morbidelli, Malaysian MotoGP, 11 November
Franco Morbidelli, Malaysian MotoGP, 11 November

Jack Miller - 6.5

(Qualified 10th, finished 8th)

(Sprint race result - P6) 

A top ten in the three most important sessions of the weekend, Miller scored points in both races and looked much more comfortable w꧒ith the RC16.

Fabio Di Giannantonio - 6

(Qualified 11th, finished 9th)

(Sprint race result - P13)

A mixed weekend for Di Giannantonio𝐆 who didn’t have the pace of team-mate Alex Marquez.

Luca Marini - 6.5

(Qualified 5th, finished 10th) 

(Sprint race result - P9)

A strong qualifiyng wasn’t quite the catalist for the same results in both races for Marini, with the Italian headꦗing the other way on both occasions.

Maverick Vinales - 6

(Qualified 9th, finished 11th)

(Sprint race result - P10)

After showing good speed in free practice, Vinales h🗹ad very little say when it came to qualifying and race conditions. 🤪Vinales struggled, as did all the Aprilia riders at a circuit that was also very difficult for the Italian brand in 2022.

Johann Zarco - 4.5

(Qualified 12th, finished 12th) 

(Sprint race result - P8)

A strong sprint finish after recovering f🀅rom 12th resulted in Zarco scoring points in both races, however, the Frenchman str💝uggled for pace over the longer race distance which has usually been a strength of his.

Marc Marquez - 3

(Qualified 20th, finished 13th)

(Sprint race result - P21)

A crash in the sprin⛦t race made a tough weekend even worse for the eight-time world champion, who managed to squeeze three points out of another disastrous weekend.

Augusto Fernandez - 4

(Qualified 14th, finished 14th)

(Sprint race result - P14)

It was a consistent weekend for Fernandez but one where rꦆesults weren’t good enough to score big points. 

Pol Espargaro - 3.5

(Qualified 17th, finished 15th)

(Sprint race result - P15)

Espargaro was the last♔ rider to score points in the grand prix after failing to find sizable improvements as the weekend went on. 

Takaaki Nakagami - 3

(Qualified 21st, finished 18th)

(Sprint race result - P19)

On what was another weekend to forget for all Honda riders, Nakagami🦄 was running outside the points be💯fore a crash at turn nine.

Brad Binder - 4.5

(Qualified 7th, DNF)

(Sprint race result - P5) 

A strong sprint result was not backed upꦕ with the expected finish in the grand prix. After losing positions at the start, Binder failed to recover seventh spot before crashing out at turn ten.

Aleix Espargaro - 2.5

(Qualified 13th, DNF) 

(Sprint race result - P12)

One of his worst weekends of the season, Espargaro suffered five crashes,✨ with the last of those coming in Sunday’s race at turn nine.♐ 

Aleix Espargaro crash, MotoGP race, Malaysia MotoGP, 12 November
Aleix Espargaro crash, MotoGP race, Malaysia MotoGP, 12 November

Miguel Oliveira - 4

(Qualified 19th, DNF)

(Sprint race result - P18) 

Like Espargaro, Oliveira’s race ended following a crash altไhough the Portuguese rider also had a technical issue with his Aprilia bike. 

Raul Fernandez - 3.5

(Qualified 18th, DNF) 

(Sprint race result - P17)

The third Aprilia 🥃rider who failed to finish the grand prix, Fernandez’s difficult second season in MotoGP continued at Sepang.

Joan Mir - 2

(Qualified 16th, DNF) 

(Sprint race result - P23)

One of the worst weekends of his career, the 2020 world champion crashed in both rac🌊es.

Read More