Moto2 Sepang: Binder wins race, but Marquez takes title

Brad Binder wasted no time in hitting the front and went on to dominate the race, but unable to control what went on behind him Alex Marquez made sure he did enough to retain second and claim to Moto2 crown in the Malaysian Moto2 Grand Prix.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider hit the front before the first corner and after a brief challenge from Marquez following an error which caused the South African to run out wide and be passed by both the EG Marc VDS 0,0 bike and Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) he rallied and never looked back to lead over the line by 0.758s.

Marquez managed his race carefully and had a reply for every challenge aboard his Kalex to finally claim the crown he had seemed on course for for the last few rounds of the championship.

Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) first needed to deal with Nagashima and then gave chase and threw everything at the gap to try and take the championship to the final round, but it was not to be - the Swiss rider finished third.

Xavi Vierge brought the second Marc VDS entry home in fourth ahead of the Beta Tools Speed Up bike of Jorge Navarro. 

Iker Lecuona brushed off his warm-up spill to bounce back for sixth for the American Racing KTM Team.

He was well clear of seventh placed Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP40) who eased past the fading Nagashima, the Japanese rider then found himself in a late battle for position with Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Intact GP) for eighth.

Luca Marini had enough on race day to complete the top ten for Sky Racing Team VR46.

Augusto Fernandez was next to see the chequered flag on the second Pons HP40 entry, he was over five seconds clear of twelfth placed rider Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46).

Mattia Pasini (Tasca Racing) held off Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) in the run to the line for 13th, the Australian had remounted for a points finish after being taken out by Sam Lowes who clipped his back tyre as he crashed out of the race.

Dominique Aegerter finished 15th and was the top MV Agusta rider.

There was stalemate among the leaders of the rookie standings with Fabio Di Giannantonio, Enea Bastianini Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi all losing the front end at various points in the race. That leaves Di Giannantonio leading the way heading into the final round in Valencia.

The Lowes fall left Jake Dixon as the best of the Brits - he crossed the line 17th for the Angel Nieto Team.

Bo Bendsneyder had been the first to exit, while Adam Norrodin (Petronas Sprinta Racing) pushed too hard at both his and his team’s home race to also end his day in the gravel.

Somikat Chantra and Stefano Mazni both also failed to finish.