MotoGP Australia Race: Márquez ahead of Crutchlow and Doohan. Quartararo and Viñales on the ground

For once, this Australian Grand Prix does not start completely with the maddening statistics of Marc Márquez in mind. Certainly, at Phillip Island, this Sunday, he will be able to overtake Mick Doohan in the number of victories since he is his equal since Japan with 54 successes in the premier category. But there will also be a certain Valentino Rossi to take into account. This weekend he should in fact become the first rider in the 70 years since the history of the Motorcycle Grand Prix began to reach the milestone of 400 starts..

Furthermore, at the end of October but in the year of grace 2009, Valentino Rossi crossed the finish line in third place behind Casey Stoner et Dani Pedrosa to win his ninth world title, his seventh in the premier category. And his latest… Will these memories take us back to the Doctor in his heyday on a track where he is the record holder for victories? Before answering this question, here is the painting that the whole world envy...

 

Phillip Island MotoGP™	2018	2019
FP1	1'29.952 Maverick Viñales (See here)	1'38.957 Maverick Viñales (See here)
FP2	1'29.131 Andrea Iannone (See here)	1'28.824 Maverick Viñales (See here)
FP3	1'29.714 Marc Márquez (See here)	1'31.338 Maverick Viñales (See here)
FP4	1'29.604 Andrea Iannone (See here)	1'31.185 Marc Márquez (See here)
Q1	1'29.851 Álvaro Bautista (See here)	1'28.949 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
Q2	1'29.199 Marc Márquez (See here)	1'28.492 Maverick Viñales (See here)
Warm-up	1'29.254 Andrea Iannone (See here)	1'29.396 Maverick Viñales (See here)
Course	Vinales, Iannone, Dovizioso (See here)
All time lap record	1'27.899 Jorge Lorenzo (2013)

We will also point out that after winning the title of best beginner at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix, fabio quartararo can take the title of best private pilot in Australia. He is at the top of this ranking with 38 points ahead of Jack Miller. The Frenchman must be more than 50 points ahead of his closest rivals (Jack Miller, Cal Crutchlow et Franco Morbidelli) after Phillip Island to win this title of best driver of an independent team.

Finally, the podium of Quarterly in Motegi allows him to equal Johann zarco in third place on the list of French riders having won the most podiums in the premier category, behind Christian Sarron (18 podiums) and Raymond Roche (9). About zarco, here he is again on the track riding a Honda LCR…

Un Fabio who will set off for the fifth time this season from a front row commanded by Casa Particular in Viñales. Marc Márquez will be by his side after a rescue at the dreaded turn 1, while Red will control the second row. Which gives us three Yamahas in the top four.

At Ducati, Petrucci is fifth, Miller seventh in special colors and Dovizioso only tenth whileAleix Espargaro achieved the feat with a seventh position on the Aprilia. The Suzukis are far away: 12th with Kidneys et Mir behind. Johann zarco is 14th, ahead of all the KTMs and Lorenzo 19e.

Apart from Ducati which is betting on the hard rear, medium front and soft rear are the majority choice in terms of tires to face the 27 laps in temperatures of 30° on the track and nearly 17° in the air. The wind is there, but less intense than Saturday while the sky lets the sun dominate. But we prepare for any eventuality, the proof...

Casa Particular in Viñales is in software, Fabio in medium hard and Márquez in soft hard. Red in medium soft. Olive tree is forfeited.

Let's go ! And it's Red before Crutchlow et Fabio who took the lead. But petrux falls behind the pilot Petronas and the hook. It's over for the French and the Italian. Red go ahead and Iannone is an astonishing third with the Aprilia.

Second round, Márquez passes Iannone but the Italian resists. The Honda official is between the two Aprilias because Aleix I will espargaro is fifth. Then Casa Particular in Viñales takes his place. Better, Crutchlow take the lead Red but Iannone, unleashed takes control of the race! The Honda LCR rider accepts the duel…

Rossi slips fifth behind Casa Particular in Viñales. Rabayou return to the stand and Márquez point second. Six drivers are in the same second. zarco is 13th, Dovi eighth. Miller the following.

After 7 rounds, Iannone do not give up. He is fourth behind Vinales, Márquez et Crutchlow on your mind. Red is seventh and Kidneys goes back to sixth. Aleix I will espargaro is fifth. zarco goes through the KTM of Pol I will espargaro. Morbidely is only 12th.

Casa Particular in Viñales continues his climb and here he is second after having passed sixth the first turn after the start. He even took the lead on the ninth lap with his soft tires. Iannone is third by the way Crutchlow who is pushed aside by Márquez . Intractable Joe the Maniac!

After 11 rounds, the duel between Casa Particular in Viñales et Márquez settles down. Crutchlow leads the rest of the pack. Red is seventh. zarco thirteenth. Lorenzo is last. At Aprilia, Iannone is in hard soft while his teammate is in medium soft. Kidneys is now fourth. Red takes his wheel. Ducatis are non-existent.

Casa Particular in Viñales seems to have mastered his subject but Márquez don't let him go, just over two tenths behind. After 14 rounds, Iannone cracks, slips to eighth while the Ducatis wake up. Dovizioso is sixth with Miller behind. Crutchlow holds the third position containing Red. The peloton is two seconds behind the leaders.

The halfway point has passed and we Casa Particular in Viñales in a duel with Márquez , Crutchlow who gave himself some air for third place in front of a furious peloton made up of Rossi, Dovizioso, Miller, Rins, Bagnaia and the two Aprilias that Mir joined…

There are 9 rounds left. In the peloton, bagnaia had his best race of the season. He is sixth in front Red and follows the other Ducatis of Miller et Dovi. The rookie then passes his teammate and stage local. In front, Márquez joined Casa Particular in Viñales ... The Honda official seems to be preparing his assault which, generally, arrives in the last five laps...

Spet laps before the end and bagnaia is fourth or best of the Ducati with the GP18. Mir is in front of Kidneys. Red is tenth. IannonHe is seventh. In front of the Suzukis.

Last five rounds. As expected, Márquez offensive. Casa Particular in Viñales resists. The sky is clouding over… But it’s holding on!

Last round… Márquez pass Casa Particular in Viñales to the engine. The case was heard despite the Yamaha official's desire to respond. To the extent that Casa Particular in Viñales grave.

Eleventh success of Márquez before Crutchlow et Miller on the podium at home. bagnaia is fourth in front Mir, Iannone, Dovizioso, Rossi, Rins et Aleix Espargaró. Pol I will espargaro is twelfth behind Morbidelli. Zarco is thirteenth. Lorenzo is last to cross the checkered flag, more than a minute behind his teammate…

  MotoGP Australia Race: standings

1	Marc Márquez	SPA	Repsol Honda (RC213V)	40m 43.729s
2	Cal Crutchlow	GBR	Honda LCR (RC213V)	+ 11.413s
3	Jack Miller	AUS	Bow Ducati (GP19)	+ 14.499s
4	Francis Bagnaia	ITA	Bow Ducati (GP18) *	+ 14.554s
5	Joan mir	SPA	Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) *	+ 14.817s
6	Andrea Iannone	ITA	Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)	+ 15.280s
7	Andrea Dovizioso	ITA	Ducati Team (GP19)	+ 15.294s
8	Valentino Rossi	ITA	Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1)	+ 15.841s
9	Alex Rins	SPA	Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)	+ 16.032s
10	Aleix Espargaró	SPA	Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)	+ 16.590s
11	Franco Morbidelli	ITA	Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)	+ 24.145s
12	Pol Espargaro	SPA	Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16)	+ 26.654s
13	Johann zarco	FRA	Honda LCR (RC213V)	+ 26.758s
14	Karel Abraham	CZE	Real Avintia Ducati (GP18)	+ 44.912s
15	Hafiz Syahrin	MAL	Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16)	+ 44.968s
16	Jorge Lorenzo	SPA	Repsol Honda (RC213V)	+ 66.045s
	Maverick Vinales	SPA	Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1)	DNF
	Mika Kallio	END	Red Bull KTM Factory (RC16)	DNF
	Tito Rabat	SPA	Real Avintia Ducati (GP18)	DNF
	fabio quartararo	FRA	Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) *	DNF
	Danilo Petrucci	ITA	Ducati Team (GP19)	DNF