Espargaro came to Sepang 27 points behind championship leader Francesco Bagnaia and needed to lose no more than three points to the Ducati rider to keep his title hopes alive going to Valencia.
But the Aprilia rider endured a tough Malaysian GP, taking the chequered flag in 11th and 21.5 seconds off of race winner Bagnaia – though he was promoted one spot to 10th after Franco Morbidelli was given a time penalty for a collision with the Aprilia rider.
