Early drama in Sepang

Pace setter: KTM rider Pedro Acosta in action during a free practice session yesterday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

SEPANG: KTM MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Spain brushed off an earlier crash to emerge as the surprise pace setter in the practice session at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia as several big names missed out on automatic progression into Qualifying 2 (Q2) at Sepang International Circuit yesterday.

Ducati rider Pecco Bagnaia, the winner here last year, and another fellow Italian Marco Bezzecchi, who is chasing the runner-up finish in the championship, will have to contest Q1 today, having missed out in a frantic late-session shuffle for the top 10.