For the second time in 2026, MotoGP-bound David Alonso (CFMOTO RCB Aspar Team) is a winner in Moto2 as the Colombian, despite a huge moment in the closing stages, comfortably fended off teammate Daniel Holgado in some brutally hot conditions at the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia. Thanks to the latter, Aspar celebrate a dream 1-2 in Sepang – and speaking of dreams, third place went to rookie star Angel Piqueras (QJMOTOR – MSI). That’s a maiden podium in the class for the Spaniard after an injury-hit first campaign in Moto2.
Meanwhile, in the chase for the Moto2 title, P4 and P5 went to Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) and Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), with the gap now coming down to just 3.5 points between the pair.
Holgado got the dream launch from pole position to easily collect the holeshot, as teammate Alonso jumped ahead of Guevara into the opening corner. Gonzalez, from P9 on the grid, jumped up two places to P7, while it was rookie Piqueras who held his position off the front row – the Spaniard was P2.
On Lap 2, Alonso pounced on Piqueras to make it an Aspar 1-2 at the front, while a little further down the road, Gonzalez made more progress. The pre-race championship leader, by the end of Lap 4, was up to P5, having carved past Daniel Muñoz (Italtrans Racing Team) and Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2). Next up? Guevara, 1.9s ahead.
A first change of the lead came at Turn 4 on Lap 6. Alonso, clean as you like, dived up the inside of his teammate to snatch the P1 baton away from the #96. By Lap 9, Alonso extended his lead to 1.1s, with Holgado being kept on his toes by Piqueras. Guevara, meanwhile, was 0.9s away from his compatriots – but crucially, the gap to Gonzalez had grown to 3.3s.
While it was looking comfortable for Alonso, a huge rear-end moment on the apex at Turn 14 with just over three laps to go opened the door for Holgado to get back onto the rear wheel of his teammate. It was surely Alonso vs Holgado for victory in Sepang, with Piqueras two seconds clear of Guevara in the race for P3.
Fair play to Alonso though. The Colombian responded well to his mistake to open up a four-tenth gap to Holgado, and heading onto the last lap, it was much more relaxing 1.1s. And in the end, despite that scare, Alonso collected his second win of the season to lead home an Aspar 1-2, with rookie Piqueras – after an injury-hit campaign – claiming a maiden Moto2 podium in P3.
Guevara’s P4 is the first time he’s finished off the top set of the podium since Misano, but it’s more points chipped out of Gonzalez’s lead. Not many though. The latter delivered a classy, damage-limited job in Sepang to round out the top five, with the gap between the title-chasing pair just 3.5 points.
Sixth place went to Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team), that’s a Moto2 career-best for the #99, as Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) got the better of Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – MSI) on the final lap to see the Dutchman earn P7 ahead of the rider third in the championship. In the heated battle for the top 10, Celestino Vietti (BETA Tools SpeedRS Team) and Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) were the duo who took the honours in P9 and P10.
And so, onto Qatar we go, with the Moto2 championship fight closer again. 3.5 points. Game on.
Moto2 Malaysian GP race results!