Pedro Acosta Beats Marc Márquez to Win Malaysian MotoGP Sprint

Pedro Acosta won the Malaysian MotoGP Sprint at Sepang on October 31, beating Marc Márquez by 0.578 seconds after a contest complicated by intermittent rain. Marco Bezzecchi finished third, with Ai Ogura fourth.

The KTM rider started from third and moved to the front with three laps remaining in the 10-lap race. He stayed on slick tires as showers affected parts of the circuit, securing his second Sprint victory of the 2026 season.

Pole-sitter Álex Márquez had led before crashing at Turn 14. Ogura inherited first place, but Acosta closed in as the leading group weighed the risk of changing bikes. Márquez and Bezzecchi eventually passed Ogura, deciding the podium places behind the winner.

The white flag allowed riders to return to the pits and switch machines as rain arrived. Some tried wet setups, but the leading group continued on dry tires. The surface was not uniformly wet, leaving different grip conditions around the lap and making the decision difficult.

Marc Márquez increased his championship advantage to 19 points over the absent Jorge Martín. Bezzecchi’s third place left him 52 points behind the leader. Martín’s absence meant the result changed the standings without the Aprilia rider having an opportunity to respond.

Sprint points count toward the same riders’ championship as Sunday’s Grand Prix. The winner receives 12 points, second earns nine and third seven, with points extending through ninth place. A full Grand Prix instead awards 25 points for victory and scores the first 15 finishers.

Acosta’s success settled Saturday’s shorter race rather than the full Malaysian Grand Prix. KTM also placed Brad Binder seventh and Enea Bastianini ninth, giving the manufacturer three riders in the Sprint points. The longer Sunday race remains a separate opportunity, with its own result and larger points allocation.