Malaysian GP Race Report - #MalaysianGP 'Malaysia and its tremendous heat'

An intense weekend under the Malaysian sun for our Kabuto riders at Sepang, where challenging conditions pushed them to their limits. The MotoGP™ World Championship returned to the vibrant Sepang International Circuit for its penultimate round of the season, with an electrifying atmosphere as 185,000 passionate fans packed the grandstands to cheer on their favorite riders. Despite the incredible energy from the crowd, the extreme heat and humidity proved relentless, creating unique hurdles for both riders and teams. Our Kabuto riders gave it their all, but the weekend didn’t unfold as planned, with each class seeing its own set of challenges and victories.

Aleix Espargaró

Saturday Sprint Race: P12

Sunday Race: P13

Championship: P11 – Points: 146

Aleix faced an uphill battle this weekend. The heat was particularly challenging for his Aprilia, which struggled with temperature management. On Friday, two crashes shook his confidence, and the heat was unrelenting, causing burns on his hands during Sunday’s race. Aleix fought hard, knowing his retirement looms near, but the intense conditions and a back-row start held him back from achieving his usual results.

Aleix’s thoughts: "I was satisfied with my sprint race performance, overtaking several riders despite the heat challenges. But qualifying difficulties meant I started further back than we’d hoped, and Sunday’s conditions really impacted the bike’s performance. We need to address this for the future."

Collin Veijer

Race: P5

Championship: P3 – Points: 236

In Moto3, Collin displayed his usual grit, starting on a harder tire to stay consistent through the race. Despite the tire strategy limiting his final push, Collin stayed focused, especially after seeing a rival crash, which allowed him to close the gap to second in the standings. Now equal on points with P2, Collin heads into the season finale determined to claim the runner-up spot.

Collin’s thoughts: "The bike felt good, and we prioritized staying safe over taking big risks. It was tough to make passes on the straights with our tire choice, but we stayed in the fight. Now, everything depends on the last race, and we’re aiming for that P2 in the championship."

Jeremy Alcoba

Race: DNF

Championship: P14 – Points: 79

Unfortunately, Jeremy’s race ended in heartbreak. After fighting to gain positions, he collided with Gonzalez in the final laps, resulting in a fall that left him with three broken metacarpals in his left hand. Jeremy’s sights are now set on a swift recovery, aiming to rejoin for the season's closing race in Barcelona.

Jeremy’s thoughts: "I had the pace to fight for higher positions, but getting caught behind cost me valuable time. My move on Gonzalez didn’t go as planned, leading to the crash and my injury. I’m focused on recovery and hope to be ready for Barcelona."

As the season winds down, our Kabuto riders remain motivated to end on a high note. We’ll see you at the final race in Barcelona in two weeks!

Up next – #CatalanGP in Barcelona (15-17 November 2024)