Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Battle Heat in Sweltering Sepang Race

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins pushed in today's dry and hot Grand Prix of Malaysia Race. The duo completed the 20-lap contest in 11th and 12th place respectively.

GRAND PRIX OF MALAYSIA

RACE

Sepang (Malaysia), 1st November 2026

11th

F. Quartararo
+25.826 / 20 LAPS

12th

Á. Rins
+27.063 / 20 LAPS

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins had to strike a balance between pushing and tyre management in the 20-lap Grand Prix of Malaysia Race. They negotiated the Sepang International Circuit in 36°C and ultimately took 11th and 12th place respectively.

Quartararo started from P18, held the position in the opening corner to then overtake Jack Miller and Maverick Viñales. Though Iker Lecuona had got through on him on lap 1, he retaliated on lap 2. With Joan Mir retiring, the number 20 next found a way past Francesco Bagnaia on lap 9 and then chased his teammate, who was 1.5s ahead of him. With nobody closely behind, the Frenchman focused on his rhythm and gradually closed the gap to Rins, and a battle between the teammates ensued with two laps to go. Quartararo came out victorious. As two more rivals failed to reach the chequered flag, he secured P11, 25.826s from the winner.

Launching from P17, Rins had a good start. He went around the outside in the first corner and wrapped up the opening lap in P15. He continued his charge on the next lap, overtaking Bagnaia. It allowed the number 42 to latch onto the back of Franco Morbidelli for a while, but he ultimately couldn't stay with him. As Mir retired, Diogo Moreira crashed on lap 13, and Johann Zarco later also retired from the race, Rins was riding in P11 when he entered a battle with his charging teammate with two laps remaining. Rins finished in P12, 27.063s from first.

Following today's Race, Quartararo moves up to 14th in the MotoGP World Championship standings with 79 points, while Rins keeps 20th place with 29 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP stay 10th in the Team Championship with 108 points, and Yamaha remain fifth in the Constructor Championship with 105 points.

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MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director

"Today's 20-lap contest was really tough: the riders had to compete in some of the hottest conditions we have faced all year. It made this race not only a physically demanding challenge for the riders but also a tactical one where tyre management became crucial. Fabio and Álex both gave their maximum. Where Álex had the pace at the start, Fabio had a little bit more left at the end. Of course, finishing outside the top 10 is not where we want to be, but the riders delivered the maximum result today after a challenging weekend."

FABIO QUARTARARO
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider

"I gave it my maximum, and the race went like expected. I think I improved my feeling a bit compared to Friday, but we were still not quite where we wanted to be."

ÁLEX RINS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider

"It was really tough, but I gave it my best effort, as always. I started really well, and I recovered some positions. But then I was seeing on the pit board 'Quartararo 1.6', then 1 second... I started to ride smoothly, but he caught me. I had a brief chat with him later, and he saw that I was on the limit with the front. I had a big drop of the tyre with 12 laps to go, but I had good fun. It was a tough and physical race, but we did it."