Newly crowned Moto3 world champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta defeated Celestino Vietti to secure victory in the Malaysian grand prix at Sepang with a last lap overtake.
Dalla Porta ran solidly within the top seven throughout the 17 lap race, slowly working his way forwards until he manoeuvred himself into the top three positions roughly half-way through.
He had benefitted mainly from a crash involving leaders Gabriel Rodrigo and Tatsuki Suzuki early on, as Suzuki in particular had looked strong at every point of the Sepang circuit.
Rodrigo high-sided as he tried to accelerate out of Turn 4, going down hard as a result and leaving Suzuki nowhere to go.
The Japanese hit the Argentineans stationary Honda and also crashed out, with the unsighted Alonso Lopez then hitting him in turn and causing him to effectively ramp over the SIC58 bike dramatically.
All three riders thankfully walked away from the incident.
The Italian spent the rest of the race battling for the lead primarily with VR46’s Vietti, losing the lead to him heading into Turn 1 as the final lap began.
The Leopard Racing pilot then attempted to re-pass Vietti into Turn 4, but ran wide and allowd him back through once again.
Crucially though Dalla Porta was able to hang onto second from Albert Arenas and set about chasing the escaping KTM ahead, doing so through the next sequence of corners and attempting to go through once again at Turn 9.
He made the move stick, and was assisted by Arenas as he too tried to pass Vietti. The pair made contact though, allowing Dalla Porta a comfortable lead through the final part of the last tour and ultimately his third consecutive win.
Arenas meanwhile was now trying to defend second from Sergio Garcia, but braked too late into the final off-camber hairpin-tucking the front and going down as a result.
He managed to remount and salvage 12th, while Garcia secured his first ever Moto3 podium finish in second ahead of the impressive Jaume Masia, who recovered from the back of the grid to snatch the final podium spot.
Ai Ogura slotted his Honda Team Asia machine into fourth as he crossed the chequered flag just ahead of Vietti, who faded over the final turns, with pole-man Marcos Ramirez coming home sixth.
John McPhee failed to ever truly get within striking distance of the win, but still denied Aron Canet who finished just behind in eighth.
Tony Arbolino and Niccolo Antonelli rounded out the top ten for Snipers and SIC58 respectively.
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