Overview
- Marini and Espargaro made contact at Turn 14 on lap 7 of the Malaysian Grand Prix sprint as Marini tried an inside pass and Espargaro closed his line.
- Marini crashed and retired, while Espargaro ran off and dropped positions before finishing 11th.
- Stewards reviewed the clash and ruled it a racing incident with no further action.
- Espargaro said he could not see Marini and expressed regret, and Marini accepted he went in too slowly for the overtake.
- Marini reported only minor finger pain and expects to continue, as Espargaro continues to deputise for the injured Maverick Vinales at Tech3; elsewhere, Pedro Acosta was promoted to third after Fermin Aldeguer’s tyre-pressure penalty.