Heading into the 20-lap Malaysian GP, it was a tall order for either rider to mount a podium fight after a difficult Saturday afternoon in qualifying. Bagnaia crashed twice – once in FP3, then again in Q2 – and had to settle for a P9 start. Quartararo didn’t fare any better. The Frenchman crashed in FP4, fracturing his finger, and struggled to P12 in Q2.