MotoGP Sprint at Phillip Island: Jorge Martin crashes out, Marc Marquez wins!

The expected change in the weather at Phillip Island (Australia) had arrived: following a sunny and warm Friday of practice, the 20 remaining MotoGP riders were greeted on Saturday by thick clouds, significantly lower temperatures and rain. Qualifying for the premier class took place on a wet track. The track dried out in time for the Moto3 and Moto2 qualifying sessions, but scattered rain showers were reported again ahead of the 13-lap sprint race.

Marc Marquez (Ducati) started from pole position and shared the front row with his brother Alex (Gresini-Ducati) and Johann Zarco (LCR-Honda). Championship leader Jorge Martin (Aprilia), local hero Jack Miller (Pramac-Yamaha) and last year’s winner Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse-Aprilia) made up the second row of the grid.

Before the start, Marc Marquez once again did push-ups on the grid. The world champion has been using this routine since Motegi to prepare his shoulder for the upcoming strain.

Start des MotoGP-Sprints: Dunkle Wolken, aber trockener Asphalt

Foto: Gold & Goose

Dark clouds at the start of the race

At the start at 3 pm local time (6 am CEST), the track was dry. All riders started the sprint on slicks. Pole-setter Marc Marquez entered the first corner in the lead. Behind him was Jorge Martin, who had made a strong start from the second row. Johann Zarco followed in third place ahead of Alex Marquez. Raul Fernandez and his Aprilia team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, on the other hand, got off to a poor start and lost positions.

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On the second lap, Alex Marquez made a move on Jorge Martin and moved up to second place. At the start of the third lap, the Aprilia rider countered: he closed in on the Gresini Ducati in its slipstream and overtook him under braking into Turn 1. Three corners later, Martin was already attacking the leader, Marc Marquez, though initially without success. Before the end of the lap, he managed to take the lead.

On lap 4, KTM rider Pedro Acosta pushed Alex Márquez out of third place. For Johann Zarco, however, the sprint was over early: the Frenchman was forced to retire due to a technical fault.

Thrilling battle at the front

Martin and Marc Marquez pulled slightly clear of the field. After setting the fastest lap of the race on lap 4, Martin had a moment of panic in Turn 4 on the following lap and lost the lead to Marquez.

Marc Marquez duellierte sich rundenlang mit Jorge Martin

Foto: Gold & Goose

At the start of the sixth lap, Martin once again braked too hard, but was unable to hold his line at Turn 2. Marquez exploited the gap and retook the lead. Behind them, Alex Marquez had edged out Acosta. The battle between the two frontrunners allowed the Gresini rider to close the gap once more.

High-speed crash: Jorge Martin has to be carried off

At the start of the eighth lap, Martin launched another attack. He overtook in Turn 1, but Marquez countered in Turn 2. The Ducati rider also fended off a further attack in Turn 4. In Turn 8, Martin’s sprint then came to an abrupt end: slightly off the ideal line, he slid off the track at high speed and into the gravel trap. He subsequently had to be carried away on a stretcher.

Sprint-Entscheidung: Marc Marquez in Führung, Martin flog ab

Foto: motogp.com

Following Martin’s retirement, Alex Marquez was within striking distance of his brother but did not launch an attack straight away. Fabio di Giannantonio had moved into third place. Marco Bezzecchi, after a poor start, worked his way up to fourth and also had the podium within his reach.

For Raul Fernandez, the sprint was over with four laps to go. Last year’s winner headed for the pit lane. He had already reported severe pain and physical limitations on Friday. The finger injury sustained at Mandalika and the additional crash in FP1 at Phillip Island had hampered his preparations.

Three Ducatis at the front – Marc Marquez back on top of the World Championship!

There were no changes in position at the front in the final laps: Marc Marquez secured the sprint victory with a 0.3-second lead and took the lead in the World Championship. Alex Marquez finished second, with Fabio di Giannantonio rounding off the top three. Following their bitter defeat at Mandalika, Ducati made an impressive comeback.

Platz 3 im Australien-Sprint für Fabio Di Giannantonio

Foto: Gold and Goose

Marco Bezzecchi was the best non-Ducati rider in fourth place. Pedro Acosta secured a top-five finish for KTM. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse-Aprilia) finished sixth, whilst Brad Binder (KTM) crossed the line in seventh place. Jack Miller and Diogo Moreira (LCR-Honda) also picked up points.

Gresini’s stand-in rider, Iker Lecuona, narrowly missed out on the points. Lecuona was half a tenth of a second off ninth place.