Moto2 Sepang: Zarco wins and is world champion, Morbidelli on the podium

GP Malaysia Moto2 Race – Johann Zarco won the race and the title today in Sepang, repeating his 2015 victory and thus becoming the first rider to win the Moto2 title for two consecutive years.

The French driver of Team Ajo Motorsport had various options to reach the championship, but he chose the one that gave him the most confidence, winning the race. Zarco let his opponents let off steam, above all our Franco Morbidelli, who came second after beating the German Jonas Folger in the sprint.

Good fourth place for Lorenzo Baldassarri. His teammate Luca Marini (ninth) and Simone Corsi and Simone Corsi (eleventh) also scored points.

Race report

The Moto2 class riders are ready to compete in the Malaysian Grand Prix, the seventeenth stage of the 2016 world championship. World championship leader Johann Zarco will start from pole position, ahead of our Franco Morbidelli and Axel Pons. Second row for Jonas Folger, Thomas Luthi and Lorenzo Baldassarri.

Mattia Pasini will start from the third row, eighth fastest, sandwiched between Belgian Xavier Simeon and Remy Gardner, with the latter achieving his best qualifying of his career. Simone Corsi and Luca Marini got the fourth row and Alessandro Nocco the sixth. Alex Marquez and Alex Rins are in difficulty, on the seventh and eighth row respectively. Wet race, it's raining on the Malaysian circuit, everything is ready, 19 laps to go for 105.317 km. The traffic lights go out, the fastest at the start is Zarco, followed by Morbidelli and Folger. The German takes first position and Morbidelli also attacks Zarco, taking second position. Morbidelli is unleashed, taking the lead in the race.

The first lap sees the #21 in the lead ahead of Folger, Zarco, Pons, Simeon, Pasini, Syahrin, Luthi, Baldassarri, Lowes, Corsi, Marquez and Marini. Morbidelli, who had lost the race at Phillip Island by just 10 thousandths, tries to get ahead, while Axel Pons falls at turn 12.

At this moment Zarco would be world champion, but the race is still long and the wet Malaysian asphalt hides many dangers. Morbidelli continues to lead the race, with Zarco and Folger still in second and third position. Sam Lowes and Mattia Pasini crash, while Lorenzo Baldassarri, after a good comeback, is in the top positions and fighting with Syahrin, Luthi, Marquez and Corsi.

In the meantime, the rain has stopped falling and the sun is shining, although in recent days and also in the warm up we have seen that despite the Malaysian heat, the track is struggling to dry, leaving large wet patches. Risk for Morbidelli, who for a moment loses the front end of his Kalex, only to find it again immediately afterwards.

We have now reached the halfway point of the race, Morbidelli is in the lead ahead of Zarco, Folger, Baldassarri, Marquez, Syahrin, Luthi, Simeon, Rins, Vierge and Marini. Thirteenth position for Simone Corsi, followed by Remy Gardner.

Fall for Alessandro Nocco (rider ok), who replaces the injured Miguel Oliveira on the Leopard Racing Kalex. The times are lowered, fast lap for Lorenzo Baldassarri, fourth but more than 11 seconds behind.

Up front, Zarco doesn't seem to be satisfied with second position, a victory would give him the title regardless of the results of Luthi and Rins. Now it's Folger who sets the fastest lap, it will be a three-way fight for the victory.

Attack by Zarco, who takes the lead with six laps to go. The Frenchman seems to be able to pull ahead and now Morbidelli has to guard against Folger's attacks, while Baldassarri is "quiet" in fourth position.

The line is now dry and let's remember, everyone has rain tires, given that there was heavy rain at the start of the race. Meanwhile, it's a fight between Folger and Morbidelli, with the German taking second position. In front, Zarco seems to be doing another sport, the Frenchman laps two seconds faster than his pursuers.

The last lap begins, a few km and Zarco will repeat the title won in 2015. Behind it is a fight for the podium between Folger and Morbidelli, with the latter again second. Last corner, Zarco crosses the finish line and is world champion, no one in Moto2 had ever achieved two consecutive titles. Behind the fight for second place goes to Morbidelli, who beat Folger.