Team ENEOS Manages P5 Finish at 2025 MotoGP Malaysia

With temps well into the mid 90s, Team ENEOS struck a balance between pushing hard and managing their tires at Sepand International Circuit for the 20-lap Grand Prix of Malaysia. Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins engaged in several battles to ultimately capture P5 and P13 respectively by the end of the Race.

Launching from P4, El Diablo skillfully defended his position on the opening lap, and as the gap started to form to the top 3, Quartararo focused on keeping his rivals at bay. He fought Joan Mir on laps 6 and 10, dropping down to P5. On lap 11 he started to experience rear tire drop, allowing Franco Morbidelli to pass but was soon back in P5 after Francesco Bagnaia retired with three laps remaining. The gaps to fourth and sixth were large enough during the final two laps, allowing the Frenchman to finish P5, 11.556sec from first.

“It was a good race, but like everyone else I had to save the tires and try to avoid going over the limit,” said Quartararo. “Soft tires are tricky and I tried my hardest to keep the pace, but finishing fifth was the goal.”

Rins started from P10 and wrapped the opening lap in P12 after an opening battle against Brad Binder. Looking to preserve his tires, he was overtaken by three rivals and took P16 by lap 9. For the remainder of the Race, the Spaniard kept working to find balance between pushing and saving his tires, and as riders crashed out or experienced issues, he moved up to P13 on lap 18. He held the position to the finish line, crossing it 23.509sec from first.

“We were affected by low grip levels and high temps more than others, so it was a really tough Race,” Rins said. “I could’ve gone faster in the beginning but the problem was that I was thinking about the end.”