Red Bull Motorsports
MotoGP
100th premier class podium for Marc Márquez after a thriller down under
Honda's Marc Márquez stormed to 2nd place and another career milestone in Australia as MotoGP™ made a dramatic return to the Phillip Island circuit.
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MotoGP™ returned to Australia and the undulating Phillip Island Circuit for the first time since 2019 and it was well worth the wait, as the cream of global motorcycle racing battled it out in some style as the 2022 campaign races to its conclusion.
Starting from pole position, Pramac Ducati rider Jorge Martín made the early running, leading the opening lap from Marc Márquez. The main story from the initial laps of the race centred around Jack Miller however. Racing on home soil, he passed team-mate Francesco Bagnaia on lap five to take third, only to be repassed by the title hopeful.
After finishing well outside the points last time out in Thailand, reigning champion and pre-race points leader Fabio Quartararo's hopes of retaining his crown took a huge blow. The French rider found himself down in 19th by lap seven after an error at Miller Corner.
Ducati rider Jorge Martín at the front during the opening laps
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It was also at the corner which takes his name where Miller's afternoon came to a dramatic end. Álex Márquez smashed into the Australian rider's Ducati, denying him the chance of claiming a third trip to the MotoGP™ podium in dramatic fashion.
With 10 laps left to run it was all to play for, with little to choose between the top three of Bagnaia, Márquez and Alex Rins, and just over a second covering the top 10 riders. The stage was set for one of the most exciting races of the season so far.
Rins cycled to the front of the field for a brief period on lap 21, as Márquez kept touch with the lead in fourth, before an error at Stoner corner relegated the Honda rider to fifth.
With five laps remaining Enea Bastianini was the man to watch. The Ducati rider emerged as the fastest rider throughout the closing laps and held seventh as the chequered flag loomed, but it was Marc Márquez making the moves, taking back third place, as up front Rins and Bagnaia battled for the lead.
Marc Márquez underlined his return to top form with a stunning 2nd place
© Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool
On the final lap, Rins snatched the lead, as Marc Márquez followed his compatriot through into second place. Despite heaping on the pressure in the dash to the finish line, Márquez couldn’t overhaul Rins, as eight-tenths of a second covered the top seven riders, with new championship leader Bagnaia completing the podium in third.
The result gave Márquez his first podium finish of the season and underlines the eight-time world champion's return to form following the injuries sustained back in the opening round of the 2020 campaign.
Bastianini came home fifth in Australia, with early race leader Martín ending up seventh ahead of team-mate Johann Zarco. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Brad Binder proved to be the best of the Austrian-built bikes, rounding out the top 10.
MotoGP™ of Australia results
- Álex Rins (ESP) – Suzuki
- Marc Márquez (ESP) – Honda
- Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) – Ducati
- Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) – Ducati
- Enea Bastianini (ITA) – Ducati
- Luca Marini (ITA) – Ducati
- Jorge Martín (ESP) – Ducati
- Johann Zarco (FRA) – Ducati
- Aleix Espargaró (ESP) – Aprilia
- Brad Binder (SA) – KTM
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