Australia's West surges to top 10 result on debut.
Kawasaki Racing Team rider Tom Sykes took a commanding win from P1 on the grid at Sepang on Saturday afternoon, claiming a new circuit best lap in the process.
World champion Jonathan Rea made it a Kawasaki 1-2 with the runner-up, while Aruba.it Racing Ducati’s Chaz Davies completed the podium.
Markus Reiterberger made good on his promise in Sepang as the rookie of the track impressed for Althea BMW, leading a charge back up the field to fourth in a stunning show of pace, until suffering a mechanical problem that forced him to retire.
Teammate Jordi Torres also found great pace race one as the Spaniard fought to the front of the second group to take fourth, ahead of Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes, who went off the track early on.
Honda duo Nicky Hayden and Michael van der Mark had a race of opposites as the American suffered more towards the end of the Race and his Dutch teammate moved up the through the field.
After they met in the middle on track, van der Mark was able to take his veteran teammate on the penultimate lap to come home just ahead of Hayden in P7.
Anthony West, riding for injured Sylvain Barrier at Pedercini, moved up in the race from his 11th grid position to come home in ninth, an incredible result after only getting on the bike for the first time on Friday.
MV Agusta rider Leon Camier suffered in the early part of race one in Malaysia, but struck back steadily to close out the top 10 and overtake Josh Brookes on the Milwaukee BMW in the closing laps.
Aprilia duo Lorenzo Savadori, fastest on Friday, and teammate Alex De Angelis were both running in the points before being unable to see the flag due to separate incidents on track.
Grillini rider Josh Hook was the final points scorer, with the Australian rookie closing out the top 15, as he continues to learn his trade in the world championship.
In Supersport, Kawasaki Puccetti racing pair Kenan Sofuoglu and Randy Krummenacher achieved a 1-2 in Tissot-Superpole 2 at Sepang, beating Brit Gino Rea, who locked out the front row.
Of the Australians in the field it was Aiden Wagner (GRT Racing Team MV Agusta) who qualified 21st, just ahead of Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki).
In the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup races across the weekend it was Andi Izdihar and Somkiat Chantra who split the pair of wins, while Australian teenager Tom Edwards was a non-finisher in race one and then scored a solid ninth in race two.