Moto3: Bagnaia wins controversial race as 17 crash out

Francesco Bagnaia has won a stunning second Grand Prix in Sepang after leading nearly from start to finish – but rode clear of a race filled with controversy as half the field crashed out of contention.

Front row starter Bagnaia was one of the clear favourites for the win, and was able to get away from the line to lead from Joan Mir, Brad Binder, Niccolo Antonelli and Lorenzo Dalla Porta, before a series of big crashes on the first lap changed the race radically.

A first crash triggered by Andrea Migno saw Sasaki and Guevera also fall, before Martin, Oettl, Canet, Bulega and Norrodin all fell at turn seven. Then, only a lap later, arriving at the corner to find what riders later claimed to be oil on the track, leaders Mir, Binder and Dalla Porta also fell out of the race.

From there on, it was steady way from Bagnaia as riders continued to crash out of contention behind him, with eventually only 17 finishing the race from 31 starters, as Jakub Kornfeil and Bo Bendsneyder made up the final podium positions.

Martin, Norrodin, Bulega and Oettl were all taken to the medical centre for further examination, while Maria Herrera, whose crash finally brought out the red flags with five laps to go, was diagnosed with a broken collarbone.