MotoGP, Australia Race LIVE: Superb victory for Marc Marquez ahead of Martin and Bagnaia!

Here we are at the fateful moment of the long race of an Australian Grand Prix whose stake is nothing less than to mark, for a Ducati rider, his route to the world title. And it will not be easy on a Phillip Island track with its aggressive asphalt for the tires, mischievous fauna and changeable climate. It will be necessary to keep a cool head and a sharp eye, as much to avoid the pitfalls as to take advantage of the slightest opportunity ... While waiting to launch into the fight, here is a presentation of the starting grid ...

George Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) qualified in pole position for the seventh time since the beginning of the year and the third consecutive time at Phillip Island. This is the 20th pole position for Martin in MotoGP, all with Ducati, which is only one less than Francis Bagnaia et Casey Stoner, who are the drivers Ducati with the most poles in the category. He won the Sprint for his 13th podium in Sprint of 2024 and his sixth victory, and on Sunday he will aim to claim his ninth MotoGP victory overall, and his fourth of the season. It would be his second double (Sprint and GP victories) in 2024 with France. He still leads the championship, but with 16 points ahead of Bagnaia.

Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) qualified second for his fifth top-three finish in qualifying so far this season, the last time being at Aragon where he took pole as well as the double (Sprint and GP wins). This is his ninth front row start in ten visits to Phillip Island in MotoGP.. He finished P2 in the Sprint for his ninth Sprint podium of 2024 and will aim for victory for the third time this year with Aragon and San Marino.

Si Ducati wins, it would be his 14th consecutive GP victory, setting a new personal record. Ducati would be the first manufacturer to win 14 consecutive races in the premier class since Honda won 22 from Malaysia in 1997 to Assen in 1998.

Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) qualified third, his seventh top-three finish in qualifying so far this season. It is the best result ofAprilia in qualifying at Phillip Island from pole position Jeremy McWilliams in 2000. He crashed on the penultimate lap of the Sprint following a collision with Marco Bezzecchi at Turn 1. A win would be his 11th MotoGP victory and his second with Aprilia with COTA this season.

The pilots Aprilia et KTM will be looking to give their constructor(s) their first win at Phillip Island. Their best results here so far are P6 and P4.

Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) qualified fourth, his seventh time this season qualifying in the top six. He crashed out in the sprint following a collision with Casa Particular in Viñales at turn 1 of the penultimate lap.

Francis Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) qualified fifth, which is the second time in four visits to Phillip Island that he has missed out on the top three in qualifying, along with 2019 when he qualified 15th. He finished P4 in the Sprint, but if he wins the GP race, 2024 will be his best MotoGP season in terms of victories and he will be the first rider to win nine victories (or more) in a single MotoGP season since Marc Marquez in 2019 (12), and would join Marquez, Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo as the only riders to win nine or more Grand Prix races in a single MotoGP season. He is second in the championship, but 16 points of Martin.

Raul fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) qualified sixth for his best qualifying since third in Germany earlier this year. He finished P7 in the Sprint for his best Sprint result so far. If he can beat his P5 from Valencia last year, it would also be his best GP result in MotoGP.

Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) qualified seventh for his 12th top-nine qualifying result so far this season. He finished P6 in the Sprint and will be aiming for his first GP podium since finishing P3 at Jerez in 2021, having come close earlier in Indonesia and secured a Sprint podium at the San Marino GP.

Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) qualified eighth, his best qualifying result since qualifying seventh in San Marino earlier this year. He crashed in the Sprint, but will now aim to add to his collection of premier class podiums (two with Honda and three with Ducati so far) or take his first MotoGP victory.

alex rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team) qualified ninth for his second best qualifying result since joining Yamaha this year, after Catalunya where he qualified eighth.

Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) qualified 10th, the fifth time this year he has missed the top nine in qualifying. He finished third in the sprint for his fifth sprint podium of 2024 and his fourth in a row. He will now attempt to claim his eighth MotoGP victory in total and his third of the season.

With a lead of 164 points over Prima Pramac Racing, the team Ducati Lenovo has a chance to win his fourth team championship in MotoGP if she leaves the Australian GP with 198 points lead or more.

What will this have in store for us? Australian Grand Prix ? Before you know it, here is the table that summarizes the facts known so far.

MotoGP™ Australia, Phillip Island	2023	2024
FP1	1'29.039 Jorge Martin (See here)	Session cancelled due to rain (See here)
Practice	1.27.943 Brad Binder (See here)	1'27.770 Marc Marquez (See here)
FP2	1'29.299 Jorge Martin (See here)	1'35.325 Marc Marquez (See here)
Q1	1'28.160 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'29.397 Raul Fernandez (See here)
Q2	1'27.246 Jorge Martin (See here)	1'27.296 Jorge Martin (See here)
Sprint	Race brought forward to Saturday due to weather	Martin, MMarquez, Bastianini (See here)
Warm Up	XXX	1'27.012 Marc Marquez (See here)
Course	Zarco, Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio (See here)	Marc Marquez, Martin, Bagnaia
All time lap record	1'27.246 Jorge Martin 2023 (See here)

It's race day on the Philipp Island track! It's 04:30 in France, Australia welcomes us to thrill us once again!

The news of the morning, Acosta will not be there, the latter is injured in the shoulder following his fall yesterday..speedy recovery to him

Make your predictions!!

Drivers will have 27 laps to complete

A little verbal exchange this morning…between AEspargaro and Bagnaia!

A reminder of the forces present...

In a hurry to fight the leaders!!

New warm-up for MMarquez??

The choice of tires….

warm up lap

It's 15° in the air and 37° on the track

They are launched and it is Martin who takes the lead ahead of Bezzecchi and Bagnaia. Morbidelli and Binder bring up the rear. Bad start from MMarquez..who finds himself 6th

After 1 round, the positions are as follows: Martin, Bezzecchi, Bganaia, Binder, Morbidelli, MMarquez, Bastianini, Vinales, Di Giannantonio and Quartararo

Bagnaia does not let go of Martin, he is 0.830s behind..

Bezzecchi makes his long lap, AMarquez also made his punishment…

Very fast binder..

MMarquez is coming back like a cannonball like yesterday, he is now 4th.

Bezzecchi falls, he returns to the race

Lap record for MMarquez who gets rid of Morbidelli..he is 3rd, he comes back strong on Bagnaia..

Marini has to give up a position…he overtook under a yellow flag…Marini makes his long lap

After 7 laps, Martin leads the way ahead of Bagnaia (0.802s), MMarquez, Morbidelli, Binder, Bastianini, Di Gianantonio, Vunales, RFernandez and Quartararo

MMarquez is in Bagnaia's wheel...he is the fastest on the track!!! Attempt to overtake Bagnaia but he fails..

The 2 men come back to Martin..Bagnaia is only 0.218s behind.

Martin gets passed but responds to the 2 pilots…he takes back the lead of operations.

MMarquez passes Bagnaia!!!!

There are 14 laps left to complete!!

The top10 is as follows: Martin is 0.275s ahead of MMarquez. Follow Bagnaia, Morbidelli, Binder, Bastianini, Di Giannantonio, Vinales, RFernandez and Miller

Bagnaia is relegated to 1s behind MMarquez, is he in tire management mode?? MMarquez is 0.223s behind the leader…

11 more laps….

MMarquez is here!!! At 0.169s behind Martin….he is pressing the championship leader….!!Who is going to crack??

Surrender for Savadori who enters the box..

We enter the last 7 laps…Bagnaia is now 3rd at 3.390s from MMarquez. MMarquez is still in Martin’s wheel, he lacks a little something to pass him..Martin is rolling with the GP2024…

MMarquez takes the lead with 4 laps to go!!

But Martin replies!! and no!!! MMarquez does it again…he gets the grail back…!!! there are 3 rounds left 

Fall of Mir

MMarquez takes off..he has a lead of 0.451s over Martin…the top 5 is as follows: Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio and Bastianini

Last round!!!!

Victory of MMarquez in front of Martin and Bagnaia 

 

A happy man…..!!!

 

MotoGP, Australia Race: ranking